The VisitScotland Scottish Thistle Awards has launched a new national Best Business Event category to celebrate the importance of business events and the role they play in showcasing Scotland’s credentials in a wide range of industry sectors, including life sciences and robotics, as well as being a leading destination for conferences, meetings and incentive programmes from across the world.
Business events have been identified as a key factor in the ability to succeed in Scotland’s drive to grow visitor spend by £1bn by 2020. Over the past 25 years, the Scottish Thistle Awards has celebrated success, innovation and excellence in Scotland’s tourism and hospitality industry.
Nominations are currently open for the new category which will celebrate creative, logistically complex or prestigious Business Events including: Incentive Programmes, Association Congresses, Product Launches, Corporate Conferences, and Exhibitions held in Scotland. Events must be aimed a private audience or delegates related to an organisation or company, and not public facing or ticketed.
Judges will be looking for events which demonstrate excellence and are aligned with development, local collaboration and benefits to Scotland’s visitor economy and profile.
This category will allow us to shine a light on Scotland’s business tourism industry and recognise the sterling efforts of those who deliver significant creative events.
Judy Rae Chair of Business Tourism for Scotland Industry GroupNeil Brownlee, Head of Business Events and former Scottish Thistle Award winner, said: “It is an honour to win a Scottish Thistle Awards and be recognised for your contribution to Scotland’s valuable tourism sector. The introduction of this category is a chance to celebrate the importance of business events and the role they play as the bridge between tourism and inward investment. As part of the judging panel, I’ll be looking for events that demonstrate excellence and innovation, helping promote Scotland as a place to live, work, visit and invest.”
Judy Rae, Chair of the Business Tourism for Scotland Industry Group added: “Scotland is home to some excellent business events, events that help strengthen our country’s reputation among the MICE community. This category will allow us to shine a light on Scotland’s business tourism industry and recognise the sterling efforts of those who deliver significant creative events, aligned with developments, local collaborations and benefits to Scotland’s visitor economy and profile.”
Nominations can be made until Friday 22 September 2017, events will then have until Friday 29 September to enter.
To nominate, enter or for further information on the Scottish Thistle Awards go to: www.scottishthistleawards.co.uk