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With an average pre COVID-19 visitor spend of £1.5bn in the region, 3,200 registered tourism businesses locally, and with tourism jobs representing up to 43% of the workforce in some areas of the Highlands and Islands, tourism is central to our way of life. It sustains many of our local, regional and island economies and communities.
The tourism and hospitality sector has been one of the worst hit from the COVID-19 pandemic. An Ekosgen report, published by HIE in September 2020, estimates that visitor spend here is likely to have declined by between £370m–£584m in the financial year 2020-21. Alongside our public sector partners, we're doing all we can to support the response and recovery measures to help our industry get back on its feet.
We’re here to help local enterprises as they look at operating safely, looking at innovative ways of doing business, and meeting the increased demand for sustainable, authentic tourism experiences.
We can support you to adapt the way you operate through our innovation programmes, help you go digital and provide specialist advice as you look to recover and build resilience.
Guidance and support for employers and employees on fair work principles in tourism.
Get support, funding and expert advice through HIE’s innovation business support programmes.
Our technology placement programme offers enterprises of any size in the Highland Council area the opportunity to take on a graduate or student placement - and we'll fund up to 70% of their salary.
Catch up with our Speak Scotland podcasts helping you make the most of Gaelic and Scots dialect in your enterprise
We work in partnership with the Scottish Government, VisitScotland and other public sector agencies, local authorities, industry and communities across our region to support the tourism industry.
As well as the programmes we offer, you can also find a comprehensive overview of all Scotland-wide public sector support on the Find Business Support website.
VisitScotland also have information on funding and provide research and insights to support business recovery and growth.
You can also find support from the Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA), the membership body for Scottish tourism industry.
Manage the skills in your workforce in the Skills Development Scotland Employer Hub.
through grants and support for the region’s tourism sector
HIE funding for tourism’s digital enablement 2020/21
for destination management organisations
of HIE tourism investments going to social enterprises
We've invested over £1.5m in community-led tourism projects to support local recovery from the impacts of COVID-19. Meet some of the communities here.
Businesses and community organisations are delivering a wide range of innovative projects across the region. Here are just a few of them.
When tourism assets are owned and managed by communities themselves there can be huge benefits in community wealth building.
Find out more about the range of community-led tourism work on the UK's most northerly island.
Despite the COVID-19 lockdown the Community Interest Company Loch Ness Hub has renovated the disused Tourist Information Centre in Drumnadrochit.
Offering expanded and green services it will be the area's new one stop shop for information, baggage transfer service, an e-bike facility and will sell local products.
Gavin and Penny Ellis have run the Knockomie Inn in Moray for more than 25 years.
Here they share their experiences of the pandemic (recorded in 2020) and share ideas on safe re-opening.
Pre COVID Billy and Anne Harley embarked on an ambitious growth plan for their 18-bedroom Uig Hotel.
Find out more about their international marketing plan.
We're supporting an EU North Sea Interreg project called CUPIDO. Tourism organisations are learning how digital technology can open up access to our unique history and heritage.
Find out about some of the projects using 3d, virtual reality, and more to bring their histories to life.
To support COVID-19 recovery, HIE has invested £440,000 in 14 West Highland tourism facilities, from Gairloch to Kilchoan.
All run by the community, the attractions are investing in infrastructure to support the return of visitors.
See what they're doing in our feature.
