Funds for rural tourism infrastructure in Scotland

October 6 (TravelAndy): Some of Scotland’s most iconic, rural tourist sites will receive funding for new facilities to further enhance the visitor experience, VisitScotland, the country’s national tourism organisation, said.

Around £3 million from the first round of the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund (RTIF) will be shared among 18 projects across Scotland to help meet the demand of growing visitor numbers.

These include the following:

• £300,000 for new toilet and motorhome facilities at the Old Man of Storr, Skye
• £269,906 for additional parking for 100 cars and 10 motorhomes at the Glenfinnan Viaduct
• £260,000 for improvements to toilets along West Loch Lomond at Luss, Tarbet and Inveruglas
• £226,000 for new paths linking car parks, visitor attractions and accommodation at the Cairngorms National Park
• £58,000 for toilets and other visitor facilities at the Otter Pools in Dumfries and Galloway
• £131,660 for a parking hub at the village of Hoswick in Shetland

Scotland tourism secretary Fiona Hyslop announced the funding on a visit to Glenfinnan Viaduct, which has seen an influx of visitors since featuring in the Harry Potter films.

“The growing popularity of our stunning natural scenery and rich historical sites is great for bringing jobs and investment to our communities but can also put pressure on communities, services, transport and facilities – particularly in rural areas,” she said. “This funding will help our industry keep up with the tourism boom by supporting the creation of much needed infrastructure such as new pathways, car parks and facilities at some of our most iconic rural and natural attractions.”