Food, Drink and Tourism Entrepreneurship
Ready to launch your food, drink, or tourism venture in North East Scotland? This course offers step-by-step guidance with practical examples, case studies, and activities, empowering you with essential tools for success. Whether it's culinary delights or Scottish landscapes, it's your roadmap to turning business dreams into reality.
Amidst the vast beaches where dolphins play, highland adventures, whiskey tours, historical castles, and cultural museums, the region boasts a vibrant visitor economy. Whether you're eager to turn your family's legendary recipe into a best-selling product, transform your brewing hobby into a lucrative side hustle, or fulfil your dream of opening your own restaurant, this short course offers the perfect starting point.
Alternatively if your passion lies in tourism, seize the opportunity to launch your own business in this thriving industry. Whether you envision a new visitor attraction, a unique tour service, innovative accommodation offerings, cultural experiences, or travel technology, the possibilities are endless.
This short course will also equip you with the knowledge, skills, and techniques to boost your journey towards running a successful business in the food, drink, or tourism sector.
Start your journey to startup success with our Food, Drink and Tourism Entrepreneurship course. You'll experience interactive online entrepreneurship workshops, self-paced business topics, and engaging masterclasses in either tourism or food and drink. Packed with essential resources, inspiring guest speakers, and practical tasks, the course covers entrepreneurship fundamentals such as market understanding, product design, branding, and financial management.
Participants choose between tourism or food and drink tracks, each offering sector-specific sessions. Tourism topics include cultural awareness, international marketing, and travel regulations, while food and drink sessions cover industry trends, product development, and legal compliance.
The course highlights practical application, encouraging participants to apply concepts directly to their business ideas. It's essential to have a concept in mind before joining. With a mix of workshops, self-paced learning, and sector-specific advice, this course is the recipe for entrepreneurial success.
Fully-funded places
Fully-funded places on this course are supported by Aberdeenshire council through the UK government, Levelling up fund.
Learning Methods
The programme will be delivered over a period of three weeks (not including the window for the assessment) and will be primarily delivered online and include a range of self-paced activities, with an in-person welcome/course orientation and an end of programme meet up.
The course shall include:
- 6 x 3 hour Self-Paced Topics on Entrepreneurship
Monday and Wednesday afternoon sessions over 3 weeks will include:
- 6 x 1.5 hour Live Online workshops on Being an Entrepreneur
- 6 x 1.5 hour Live Sector specific workshops
The total teaching time will be around 36 hours, with sessions taking place in a three week block with live sessions two days per week.
Programme Schedule
- In person induction - Friday 24 January (time tbc)
- Session 1 Online - Monday 27 January - 17:30-19:30
- Session 2 Online - Wednesday 29 January - 17:30-19:30
- Session 3 Online - Monday 3 February - 17:30-19:30
- Session 4 Online - Wednesday 5 February - 17:30-19:30
- Session 5 Online - Monday 10 February - 17:30-19:30
- Session 6 In person - Wednesday 12 February - 17:30-19:30
- Final in-person session - Friday 14 February (time tbc)
Independent Study
Throughout the course, you will be expected to apply the concepts learnt to your business by undertaking your own research, speaking to customers, developing your brand, evaluating competitors, doing wider reading and building your portfolio.
Assessment
For those who want academic credit, the course shall include an assessment which will be a portfolio of documents and evidence of the development of your business throughout the course.
No formal qualifications are required, however applicants live in Aberdeenshire (not city).
Academic Year 2025/2026
Fee-waiver places
To be eligible for a free place, you must live in an area governed/administered by local authority: Aberdeenshire council.
Eligibility is assessed on application and further evidence may be required.
All other applicants
Applicants who are not eligible for a fee-waiver place can pay to study the course - £520 for the entire course
Additional Costs
The following course-related costs are not included in the course fees:
- The cost of books that you may wish to purchase.
- Costs associated with your placement / study abroad
- Accommodation and living costs
- Printing
Disclaimer
For new intakes course fees are reviewed and published annually for each mode of delivery. Tuition fees are fixed for the duration of a course at the rate confirmed in the offer letter. For further information see:
Any Questions?
Get in touch with the team and we'll do our best to help.