Aberdeen City Council is advancing a substantial £900,000 initiative to enhance the city’s global standing as a premier destination. The local authority is seeking to engage specialist expertise to deliver a “city-focused Aberdeen destination marketing and development service,” and aiming for this to be funded by the city’s forthcoming visitor levy.
The Aberdeen Visitor Levy, commonly referred to as the tourist tax, is slated for implementation from 1 April 2027. This 7% charge on overnight accommodation bills has been approved by the City Council, positioning Aberdeen with the highest proposed visitor levy rate among Scottish cities, compared to Edinburgh and Glasgow’s 5%. It is anticipated to generate an annual revenue of approximately £6.8 million, which will be ring-fenced for tourism-related investments.
Tentative tender documents, issued as a Prior Information Notice (PIN) on the Public Contracts Scotland website, detail the council’s ambitions for the prospective £900,000 contract. The notice indicates that “The proposed service would support Aberdeen’s position as a leading visitor destination.” This would be achieved through a comprehensive strategy encompassing “destination marketing, city promotion, market intelligence, business engagement, product development and visitor economy development activity.”
The core objectives of the service are to “increase awareness of Aberdeen,” “grow visitor numbers and length of stay,” and “support accommodation demand.” Furthermore, it aims to “amplify the city’s cultural, events, heritage, hospitality, leisure and business tourism offer, and contribute to the city’s wider economic transition.”
While the primary focus is on Aberdeen city, the service is also expected to acknowledge the broader regional attractions, including “coastline, castles, golf, food and drink, outdoor activity and touring itineraries” as integral to the destination’s appeal.
Matthew Williams, a former top council official who spearheaded efforts to secure the Tall Ships Festival, previously discussed the council’s vision for utilising tourist tax revenue to boost visitor numbers, estimating an annual fund of £6-7 million. Funds from the levy have already been allocated towards significant events, including the World Rally Championships scheduled for next year in Aberdeen.
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The council’s strategic emphasis on business tourism has been underscored by recent successes. A geology conference, the EAGE Annual Conference & Exhibition 2026, held at P&J Live in June 2026, saw nearly all city centre hotels reach full occupancy. This event attracted over 6,000 attendees and is estimated to have generated a £13.2 million economic impact for the city. The council also intends for the new marketing service to integrate with existing convention and business event initiatives to further boost visitor numbers and economic value.
In parallel with these marketing endeavours, the council is actively seeking an operator for the new beach playpark, with Codona’s Amusement Park, a long-established family-run attraction on Aberdeen Beach, among the businesses that have expressed interest. The Prior Information Notice for the marketing service is purely for market engagement and does not commit the council to any specific procurement.
Aberdeen’s Tourist Information Centre on Union Street closed in September 2024, as part of VisitScotland’s nationwide phased closure of its entire “iCentre” network.
