Industry funding - VisitScotland

At the end of last year, the Scottish Government announced that tourism and hospitality businesses across Scotland were to benefit from a £104.3 million Scottish Government package.

This funding will help a number of tourism and events businesses in key sectors who have received little or no support so far.

VisitScotland will be administering nine of the Scottish Government funds and will move their focus from marketing to funding and support for the next three months to ensure that desperately needed help is delivered quickly, to those most in need.

VisitScotland have moved more than 100 staff from other tasks to get these funding streams organised and process them as quickly as possible.

VisitScotland will announce more details about how to apply on VisitScotland.org in due course, but the aim is to have all funds launched by mid-February.

Funds VisitScotland are delivering on behalf of Scottish Government

• Pivotal Event Businesses Fund – in progress, closed to Expressions of Interest .

• The Sector Destination Operational & Market Readiness Fund – live
• Scotland Inbound Tour Operators - COVID-19 Business Support and Continuity Fund – Expressions of interest open 22 January
• Outdoor Fund, which has two strands: marine tourism and outdoor tourism – last week of January
• Event Industry Support Fund – late January/early February
• Coach Operators Fund – first week of February
• Visitor attractions Fund – week commencing 8 February
• Hostels Fund – week commencing 15 February

These nine funds present a clean sheet – so those who have had COVID-19 related funding before can apply again.  A business bank account will not be required – although evidence of running a business will.

Information about the funds will be communicated across the industry and with partners and information on how to apply will be on VisitScotland.org.

We understand how tough things are for the tourism and events industry at the moment and know that the impact of the ongoing pandemic is making business survival increasingly difficult. There is therefore a need to deliver funding as quickly as possible.

We have huge sympathy for businesses across Scotland, and we continue to feed concerns back to the Scottish Government through the Scottish Tourism Emergency Response Group – which we chair – and the Event Industry Advisory Group in the hope that more support will be made available in the future.

Riddell Graham, Director of Industry & Destination Development

All of the funding packages are being delivered with input from the tourism industry and sector groups to ensure the right support gets to the right people.

A thriving tourism and events industry is essential to lead Scotland’s pandemic recovery. It is a force for good by not only providing jobs and economic benefits to every corner of the country, but also bringing benefits to our wellbeing and society.

Should you have any questions, please get in touch on [email protected].