Tourism Innovation Development Awards

12th January 2006

Got a fantastic idea for your business or area? You could be awarded up to £15,000 to help make it happen!

It may be a cliché, but there's no escaping the fact that tourism is a globally competitive business – and that to compete and survive, Scottish Tourism has to give the visitor to Scotland something a 'bit special', and become a must visit destination where visitors’ needs come first.

To meet increasing customer demands, we have to think differently, create new customer experiences, work more effectively together and improve our products and services. In other words, we have to innovate.

Scottish Enterprise has developed the Tourism Innovation Development Award (TIDA) to help stimulate creative and innovative thinking in the Scottish Tourism Industry. Through a competitive process it will provide funding assistance and implementation support to companies with genuinely innovative tourism projects that will make a difference.

"This is an outstanding opportunity for Tourism companies to access practical support and encouragement to convert innovative ideas into action." – Peter Taylor, Chairman of The Townhouse Company.

What are the benefits to you?

If successful, you will:

• Receive up to £15,000* funding to help implement your idea.
  
• Achieve positive change in your business/group through turning your idea into a profitable reality.
  
• Be allocated a Tourism Innovation Mentor to help you successfully implement your project.
  
• Receive significant free publicity for your business through national and local press as part of the Scotland-wide promotion of TIDA.
  
• Be ambassadors to help create a world-class Scottish Tourism Industry.

*Successful companies will have to match-fund the development award. Funding will range from £5,000-£15,000. Conditions apply.

For more information go to:
http://www.scotexchange.net/businessdevelopment/innovation_2004-2/tidaawards.htm