Aberdeen? Abzolutely Aberdeen!
Aberdeen may be known as Europe’s oil and gas capital, with a quarter of the UK’s 200,000 strong energy sector workforce based here but it is so much more.
We are at the forefront of leading the energy transition to a lower carbon world. We are recognised as one of Europe’s most important centres for life sciences with globally leading health related research. We are home to food and drink brands and produce that are enjoyed right across the planet.
Did you know that Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire were recently voted the best places to live in the UK in a national poll of 6,000 people and the population of around half a million in the city region enjoys an unrivalled quality of life. Households in this region have, on average, the highest net disposable income in the country and Aberdeen has been identified as the 'least expensive' city in the UK for first-time buyers to get on the property ladder. It's also the cheapest city in Scotland to rent.
The city is well connected with frequent direct rail services to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle, London and other major cities. And our international airport provides regular connections to London, Manchester, Birmingham, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Dublin and other hubs. And our internationalism goes both ways. After centuries of global trade we have an incredibly diverse population and in any restaurant, café or the airport arrivals hall, you’ll hear voices from a myriad of nations.
The Chamber’s latest Investment Tracker tells of £7.2bn of major infrastructure and regeneration projects delivered here since 2017. And a future pipeline in excess of £30 billion. Included is the City Centre Masterplan, a multi-million pound programme that has so far delivered Marischal Square, a museum of famous Aberdeen folk at Provost Skene’s House, a refurbished Music Hall, an Art Gallery voted the best building in Scotland and amazing new green spaces at Union Terrace Gardens. With work underway on a new international food market, streetscaping of Union Street, Castlegate and the transformation of our beach.
There’s always something happening here. A packed programme covers everything from sport to contemporary art and music to light installations and dance. Our iconic theatre regularly hosts international touring companies, nationally renowned artists and Scottish and homegrown talent. And a stroll around the city will reveal our incredible street art collection Nuart - voted in the top six in the world.
We are host to a range of global events such as the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Tour of Britain cycling and this year we welcome the Tall Ships Race - Europe’s largest free event of 2025 with 400,000 visits expected. There’s top-class professional golf and Premier League football at Aberdeen FC; our heroes as winners of the 2025 Scottish FA Cup and the only Scottish team to have won two UEFA European trophies. And our world class events venue P&J Live regularly hosts major international exhibitions, conferences and concerts, holding the record for the largest indoor attendance in Scotland.
And Aberdeen has the lowest crime rate of Scotland’s four largest cities - a purple flag confirming Aberdeen as one of Scotland’s safest nighttime destinations.
With a climate that is warmer than the Scottish average, we have some of the longest summer days - and only half the rainfall of Miami - so there’s plenty of opportunity to get outdoors and explore. And in the winter of 2024, the Met Office confirms that this region had easily the most sunshine hours in the UK.
Our countryside offers a theatre for activities with some of the world’s best golf courses, beaches, stunning walks and opportunities for skiing, climbing, water sports and cycling. Where else in the world could you surf in the morning and ski in the afternoon? (If that’s your thing!)
Not far from the city is the Cairngorms National Park and a stunning coastline part of which was named one of the most iconic landscapes in the world by National Geographic. We have more castles per acre than anywhere else in the British Isles, with the royal residence of Balmoral on our doorstep. The ‘favourite place on the planet’ of our late Queen.
The fact that Aberdeen is a great place to live makes it a great place to visit and we are seeing a big growth in tourism with 3.7 million visitors staying overnight in 2024 further boosted by 2.59 million day visits, including a fast growing cruise market with around 100,000 visitors a year expected to call by 2030, with visitors experiencing the region’s quality tourism and hospitality products and experiences.
A small European city region with a big personality, punching well above its weight.
