£250k boost for new whisky distillery in Caithness
The HIE funding will help meet the costs of plant and equipment and help lever in significant private sector investment to the project.
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The HIE funding will support two key areas of activity; product development and community engagement.
It is from £3m approved by HIE in September 2020 to support strategically important tourism destination management organisations (DMOs), as part of wider support for the sector’s recovery.
The project, by strategically important DMO Argyll and Islands Tourism Co-operative (AITC), will deliver a series of initiatives aimed at inspiring, enabling and delivering destination recovery.
It will encourage collaboration among businesses, communities, public and third sector partners, and will create 6.5 new full-time equivalent posts within the group itself.
AITC will provide support, advice and signposting to communities looking to improve conditions for visitors. It will also help tourism businesses to make sure they have the skills and knowledge to rebuild their operations, access new markets and embed resilience in their approach.
Morag Goodfellow, HIE’s area manager for Argyll and the Islands, said:
“Tourism is so important to this area, for the local economy and for rural employment. It is also one of the sectors that has been hardest hit by the pandemic. It’s important we do all we can to help the industry recover and that’s what this funding is about.
“AITC provides valuable co-ordinated support for businesses and communities involved in providing visitor services. Our funding is about making sure the group is as effective as possible in rebuilding the sector post-covid.
“We look forward to working with AITC and our tourism businesses to make the project a success.”
Iain Jurgensen, Chair of Argyll and the Isles Tourism Cooperative, said:
“Tourism in Argyll and the Islands had been growing year on year prior to the onset of COVID-19. HIE’s investment will enable AITC to significantly increase our work ‘on the ground’ throughout the area, with communities, businesses and sector groups, working together to get tourism back on its feet and equipped to face the future. We are excited to be leading this project for the area and look forward to continuing our partnership and collaboration with HIE.”
The HIE funding will help meet the costs of plant and equipment and help lever in significant private sector investment to the project.
The new product has been developed by Dunoon-based former construction industry director Allister Wood
£250k helped leverage a further £3.6m in national investment
Plans to establish a new facility in Moray that is expected to support up to 300 manufacturing jobs in the next ten years have secured up to £5.6m capital investment.
Organisations in Lewis and Harris planning on making the most of the cruise market can attend a drop-in session in Stornoway on Wednesday 20 March.
HIE funding will support the element of the project that focuses specifically on reducing carbon emissions and energy costs.
The Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands exhibition has been created by communities across the region as part of the Spirit of the Highlands and Islands Project.
Community trust to convert steading to create new distillery
The owners have secured up to £175,900 investment from HIE towards the works, which will help boost annual turnover and support local jobs.
A community project is under way in Knoydart to improve cycling facilities for visitors and residents.
Sumitomo Electric UK Power Cables Ltd plans to establish major operations in the region, supplying high voltage cables to the growing offshore wind energy sector.