For daydreaming American tourists, Scotland may
conjure up images of kilted bagpipers and idyllic golf courses.
While all this is still available, the country has also
transformed itself into a fast-growing destination for serious
business. Several key meeting properties have opened or
renovated in the past year, with more on the way in 2013,
making Scotland more than ready to host any planner's next
international meeting.
Edinburgh's "Spring Cleaning"
One such property is the 269-room Sheraton Grand Hotel &
Spa, Edinburgh, which last April debuted completely revamped
meeting facilities. The newly redesigned 5,000 square feet of
meeting space - comprising 14 flexible meeting rooms - blends a
sleek modern aesthetic with traditional Scottish textiles. Add
cutting-edge technology like Bluetooth media hubs to the mix,
and attendees will be treated to a true blending of old and
new. The Sheraton also offers unbeatable views of Edinburgh
Castle.
Last summer, the 241-room Caledonian Hotel reopened, now flying
the Waldorf Astoria flag after a $32-million investment from
the company. The historic property debuted more than 100 years
ago and has maintained its reputation as one of the city's
finest hotels. The Caledonian is situated in the heart of
Edinburgh and also offers stunning views of the city's beloved
castle.
Edinburgh also saw the reopening of its famed Assembly Rooms
last summer after a $12.5-million renovation of its ballroom,
halls, and dining spaces. The renovation included substantial
acoustic and lighting improvements as well as the addition of a
permanent bar and more flexible staging and seating
capabilities.
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery was also recently
renovated. It reopened in December 2011 after a two-year,
$27-million overhaul - the first major refurbishment in its
120-year history. The museum is an ideal site for events, as
its elegant Ramsay Room can accommodate up to 120 guests for
dinner or 200 for a cocktail reception.
The Edinburgh International Conference Centre will debut a
$114-million expansion later this year. Renovations include a
17,200-square-foot multipurpose hall as well as breakout rooms
and a cafe. The expanded space will also feature "moving floor"
technology, allowing it to be reconfigured from flat exhibition
flooring into tiered auditorium and arena setups.
Glasgow and Aberdeen Are Ready for Meetings
In Glasgow, the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Center
(SECC) is set to debut its brand new Hydro Arena later this
year. The SECC is one of the United Kingdom's largest
integrated exhibition, conference, and concert venues, with
240,627 square feet of flexible exhibition space. When
completed, the new arena will accommodate up to 12,000
attendees.
Aberdeen saw the addition of the 185-room Park Inn by Radisson
Hotel in 2011. The property has eight meeting rooms as well as
a glass-walled breakout area. In total, the Park Inn's meeting
space can accommodate up to 200 guests.
The five-star, $1.35-billion Trump International Golf Links
Resort is set to open in 2014 in surrounding Aberdeenshire. The
first of the resort's two planned golf courses opened last year
to much acclaim; Golf Magazine wrote that Trump Scotland is "on
its way to being one of the best courses in the world." The
450-room hotel will feature a conference center and 36 "golf
villas."
Aberdeen International Airport has recently completed a 500,000 pound ($746,000) project to outfit its baggage system with
new X-ray machines and conveyors and a 10-million pound ($14.93
million) extension of its main runway.