Finding the right city strategy for marketing tourism

The long running debate over how the council should be involved in promoting business tourism in Edinburgh will come to a decision point next week. And there is an important lesson for the many ideologically driven councillors in the City Chambers.

- Iain Whyte Conservative group leader on Edinburgh City Council

The former Marketing Edinburgh used to run a convention bureau to encourage meetings and conferences to take place in the city.

This benefits all sorts of businesses from small meeting venues, through hotels to the larger spaces like the EICC and the Royal Highland Centre at Ingliston.

Our universities also benefit, bringing in much needed cash and through the intellectual collaborations these meetings bring.

This “business tourism” is a huge part of our local economy supporting good jobs at the higher end of the hospitality industry and allowing participants to build skills and knowledge that can set them up for careers her or worldwide.