Dundee is at the centre of the Scottish tourism industry’s “transformative makeover,” a conference in the city heard.
Scottish Government Business and Tourism Minister Fergus Ewing said: “Decades ago tourism in Scotland was an industry where we weren’t really at the races.
“The industry has been transformed having had a makeover with more and more people coming to the country to enjoy what Scotland offers.
“Dundee is having the biggest makeover of all it is at the centre of that transformative makeover.
“The city that was once known for its ‘jute, jam and journalism’ has been rebranded.
“It is now the city of life sciences, computer games and the V&A on the Tay.”
The Dundee and Angus tourism conference was organised by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dundee City Council, Angus Council, VisitScotland and Business Gateway.
Bringing together a variety of tourism business representatives, the programme focused on the benefits of a regional approach.
Alison Henderson, chamber chief executive, asked delegates to focus on the key challenge they faced to take advantage of the large visitor numbers expected to arrive with the opening of the V&A in 2018.
Jim Clarkson, regional partnerships director of VisitScotland, said tourism is at the heart of the economic success being enjoyed by Dundee and Angus.
It was not just about providing a holiday experience, but about creating jobs, sustaining communities and providing a shop window for business activity.
VisitScotland statistics for 2014 showed £105 million being generated through visitor spend for Dundee and Angus, with 7,100 jobs being supported.
Mr Ewing said the V&A had raised the city’s international profile and was proving a catalyst for inward investment citing the Malmaison Hotel and other commercial developments as examples.
They would bring major benefits to Dundee’s economy in a way that the Government would like to see replicated throughout Scotland.
The conference was held in what is set to be the city’s newest major tourist attraction, the High Mill at Verdant Works.
The impressive surroundings were formally opened last week after a two-year, £2.9m restoration project.
Andy Lothian, chairman of owners the Dundee Heritage Trust, called on the gathering to “rise to the challenge of the V&A and all the wonderful things that it will bring to this area”.