Cash boost for North Highlands tourism

1st September 2009

As Scotland celebrates the year of the Homecoming, Caithness and North Sutherland will have the chance to show even more visitors what is has to offer - thanks to a £275,000 funding boost from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), Highlands and Islands Enterprises (HIE), Visit Scotland and Highland Council.

The NDA, a member of the Caithness and Sutherland Regeneration Partnership, has contributed £75,000 of this. This money will be administered over three years (25K per year), and will be used to transform North Highland Tourism from a volunteer led body to a specialised destination marketing organisation.

As part of this transformation Jill McNicol has been appointed as a full-time Marketing and Membership Manager and a part-time Finance Officer and a part-time Administrator will also be recruited.

This team will be responsible for boosting tourism in the Caithness and North Sutherland areas, which in turn will generate jobs and economic growth.

Murray Lamont, Chair of North Highland Tourism, said:

"The funding from our key partners will be instrumental in helping the North Highlands region to develop its tourism in line with Scotland's Tourism Strategy and reach the national target of 50% value growth in tourism by 2015. Investment in marketing campaigns will enable us to deliver targeted messages about historic, cultural, sporting and relaxing activities and locations."

Randall Bargelt, the NDA's Regional Director, said:

"The NDA is committed to supporting economic diversification in the Caithness and North Sutherland area.

We have already signed up to spend over £10 million on various projects throughout the community, including the North Highland Regeneration Fund, Caithness Horizons, Wick Harbour and the National Nuclear Archive.

We are pleased that our contribution of £75,000 to the NHT will help lead the North Highlands tourism industry towards sustainable growth - creating a vibrant and exciting place to live, work, and of course, visit."

Eann Sinclair, Programme Manager for the Caithness & North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership, said:

"Strengthening our area's reputation for high quality tourism products is one of the priority actions in the Caithness & North Sutherland Action Plan. North Highland Tourism is ideally placed to lead the marketing of our tourism assets, so it is particularly pleasing to have someone like Jill McNicol in place to make progress. The partner bodies within CNSRP look forward to working with the NHT team to deliver their aims"