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Aberdeen Destination Marketing and Development Service

Aberdeen City Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

20 Jul 2026 at 01:00

OJEU - F1 - Prior Information Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Aberdeen City Council is exploring a city-focused destination marketing and development service for Aberdeen. This is a public-service opportunity in tourism marketing, visitor-economy development and business support, with a CPV classification for destination promotion services (79342000). The proposed work would promote Aberdeen to leisure and business visitors, increase visitor numbers and length of stay, support accommodation demand, and strengthen the city’s cultural, events, heritage, hospitality, leisure and tourism offer. Activities may include marketing and communications, city promotion, market intelligence, engagement with tourism businesses, product and itinerary development, travel-trade support, performance evaluation and reporting. The service would be delivered in Aberdeen City, while connecting with the wider regional offer of coastline, castles, golf, food and drink, outdoor activity and touring itineraries. It may also interface with convention bureau and business-events activity.

The procurement is at planning and market-engagement stage. Aberdeen City Council is gathering supplier views to inform whether and how a future service should be procured; this is not an invitation to tender. The proposed service has an estimated value of £900,000, funded through the Aberdeen Visitor Levy, which is due to apply from 1 April 2027. The Council expects a subsequent notice on 10 November 2026. One planned lot covers the full Aberdeen destination marketing and development service. The eventual scope, delivery model and procurement arrangements remain subject to Council approval, final specification, available budget and the applicable procurement process. Suppliers are invited to complete a market-engagement submission form by the deadline stated in that form.

This will suit organisations experienced in destination marketing, tourism development and visitor-economy programmes, particularly those able to combine strategic planning with practical promotion and partnership working. Relevant capability includes marketing and communications, audience and market intelligence, travel-trade engagement, product and itinerary development, support for cultural, events, hospitality and tourism businesses, and business-events or convention-bureau activity. Suppliers should be prepared to show how they would increase visits, length of stay, accommodation demand and visitor spending while complementing wider regional destination activity. The Council is also looking for robust performance measurement, evaluation and transparent public reporting on Visitor Levy expenditure, outputs, outcomes and agreed indicators. Businesses able to coordinate city-wide stakeholders and evidence economic impact should monitor the procurement as planning develops.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Aberdeen Destination Marketing and Development Service

Notice Description

Aberdeen City Council is seeking market engagement to inform the potential procurement of a city-focused Aberdeen Destination Marketing and Development Service, funded through the Aberdeen Visitor Levy, which is due to apply from 1 April 2027. The proposed service would support Aberdeen's position as a leading visitor destination by delivering destination marketing, city promotion, market intelligence, business engagement, product development and visitor economy development activity. It would seek to increase awareness of Aberdeen, grow visitor numbers and length of stay, support accommodation demand, amplify the city's cultural, events, heritage, hospitality, leisure and business tourism offer, and contribute to the city's wider economic transition. The service is expected to focus on Aberdeen city while recognising that the wider regional offer -- including landscapes, coastline, castles, golf, food and drink, outdoor activity and touring itineraries -- forms an important part of the destination proposition. The Council is also interested in how the service should interface with convention bureau and business events activity where this supports additional visitors, bed nights and economic value for the city. This Prior Information Notice is for market engagement only. It is not a call for competition and does not commit the Council to a procurement, contract award or any particular delivery model.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Aberdeen City Council is considering the procurement of an Aberdeen Destination Marketing and Development Service to support the objectives of the Aberdeen Visitor Levy and the sustainable growth of the city's visitor economy. The service is expected to be delivered as a city-focused programme for Aberdeen. Its purpose will be to promote Aberdeen as a distinctive destination for leisure and business visitors, encourage people to visit, stay longer and spend more, and support the development of a strong visitor offer across the city's venues, events, festivals, culture, attractions, hospitality and tourism businesses. The anticipated scope may include destination marketing and communications, city promotion, business engagement, visitor economy development, product and itinerary development, travel trade support, market intelligence, performance evaluation and reporting. Where included within the final scope, the service may also interface with convention bureau and business events activity where this supports additional visitors, accommodation bed nights and economic value for Aberdeen. The service will be expected to complement, rather than duplicate, wider regional destination activity, while maintaining a clear focus on improving Aberdeen's position as a visitor destination. It will also be expected to support transparent public reporting on the use and impact of Visitor Levy proceeds, including evidence of outputs, outcomes and performance against agreed indicators. This notice is intended to inform market engagement and procurement planning. Any future procurement will be subject to Council approvals, final service specification, available budget and the applicable procurement process.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-r6ebe6-0000837836
Publication Source
Public Contracts Scotland
Latest Notice
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUL560476
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
OJEU - F1 - Prior Information Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

63 - Supporting and auxiliary transport services; travel agencies services

75 - Administration, defence and social security services

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

63513000 - Tourist information services

75125000 - Administrative services related to tourism affairs

79340000 - Advertising and marketing services

79342000 - Marketing services

79411100 - Business development consultancy services

79413000 - Marketing management consultancy services

79951000 - Seminar organisation services

79956000 - Fair and exhibition organisation services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£900,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
20 Jul 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
10 Nov 20262 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Aberdeen City Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
ABERDEEN
Postcode
AB16 5GB
Postcode Area
Aberdeen
Country
Scotland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM5 North Eastern Scotland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM50 Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire
Delivery Location
TLM50 Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire
Local Authority
Aberdeen City
Electoral Ward
Midstocket/Rosemount
Westminster Constituency
Aberdeen North

Further Information

Notice Documents

  • https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=JUL560476&idx=1
    20th July 2026 - Market Engagement submission Form
  • https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUL560476
    Aberdeen Destination Marketing and Development Service - Aberdeen City Council is seeking market engagement to inform the potential procurement of a city-focused Aberdeen Destination Marketing and Development Service, funded through the Aberdeen Visitor Levy, which is due to apply from 1 April 2027. The proposed service would support Aberdeen's position as a leading visitor destination by delivering destination marketing, city promotion, market intelligence, business engagement, product development and visitor economy development activity. It would seek to increase awareness of Aberdeen, grow visitor numbers and length of stay, support accommodation demand, amplify the city's cultural, events, heritage, hospitality, leisure and business tourism offer, and contribute to the city's wider economic transition. The service is expected to focus on Aberdeen city while recognising that the wider regional offer -- including landscapes, coastline, castles, golf, food and drink, outdoor activity and touring itineraries -- forms an important part of the destination proposition. The Council is also interested in how the service should interface with convention bureau and business events activity where this supports additional visitors, bed nights and economic value for the city. This Prior Information Notice is for market engagement only. It is not a call for competition and does not commit the Council to a procurement, contract award or any particular delivery model.

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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