£193,000 of Highlands & Islands Enterprise cash to help fire up recovery of sustainable tourism in Wester Ross
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Wester Ross Biosphere will receive £193,000 from Highlands & Islands Enterprise over the next three years in order to create a more sustainable future for tourism.
The funding will support the Wester Ross Tourism Partnership which is made up of community representatives from the region as well as Visit Wester Ross.
Three new jobs will be created to support the strategic delivery of the Wester Ross Destination Management Plan and its associated priorities which include litter/waste management, visitor education and infrastructure.
Confirming the approval, HIE's Alaistar Nicolson, said: “Tourism is central to the local economy in Wester Ross and a vital source of rural employment and community resilience. Wester Ross Biosphere provides valuable co-ordinated support for the sector, tailored to the specific needs of communities and tourism operators in the area. Its Destination Management Plan identifies area priorities for the sector’s recovery. We need to make sure the group has sufficient resources to be as effective as possible in delivering against these priorities, and that’s what this funding award is about.
“We look forward to working with WRB and the Wester Ross tourism sector to achieve a successful and sustainable recovery.”
Iain Turnbull, who chairs the Wester Ross Tourism Partnership for WRB, said:
“The globally recognised quality of the UNESCO brand brings an international focus to the implementation of local solutions in Wester Ross. Biospheres are in a key place to help facilitate these kinds of initiatives as community-based organisations delivering the UN Sustainable Development Goals on the ground.”
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