UKinbound is pleased to announce its support of VisitScotland expo 2015, the leading event in Scotland’s travel trade calendar, being held in Aberdeen this year, after it was identified that more than a quarter of the trade association’s membership based outside Scotland rely heavily on inbound tourism to the country.

Following the establishment of a permanent office based in Glasgow since July 2014, UKinbound in partnership VisitScotland, is inviting tour operator members as hosted buyers from elsewhere in the UK to expo 2015 to help them expand their knowledge of the destination and generate more sales of Scottish product.

In a survey carried out last year amongst the association’s members across the UK, results highlighted that two thirds of respondents endorsed an increase in UKinbound’s activity and industry engagement within Scotland. The same survey also identified that three quarters of respondents welcomed more collaboration with VisitScotland, hence expo 2015 providing UKinbound with the ideal platform to demonstrate its proactive and long-term commitment.

UKinbound’s chief executive officer, Deirdre Wells OBE, said: ‘We are excited to be working this year with VisitScotland at expo 2015, supporting both our Scottish members who are exhibiting there as well as helping our tour operator members from across the UK engage directly with Scottish tourism suppliers.

It has been a momentous year for us taking our first steps at working in partnership with the Scottish tourism - through establishing a permanent base in Glasgow and furthermore having two newly elected Board of Director representatives based in Scotland. It’s been a very welcome step becoming much more involved in supporting the inbound tourism industry here and we are confident that this can only gain even more momentum and look forward to what lies ahead.’

Commenting on its partnership with UKinbound, VisitScotland Chairman Mike Cantlay said: ‘We’re absolutely delighted to be working with UKinbound for VisitScotland expo 2015. This is an invaluable opportunity for tour operators to meet with Scottish businesses face to face, bringing the chance to meet new contacts, negotiate new deals and learn new ways of doing business.

VisitScotland delivers economic success by showcasing Scotland on a global stage and we’ll certainly be doing so at the 36th staging of expo. As the country’s biggest travel trade event, this year at the wonderful AECC in Aberdeen is shaping up to be one of the best ones yet!’