Brechin roadshow to focus on communityi-led tourism

The roadshow runs until March and will take in 25 locations across Scotland and will be at Brechin City Hall on Wednesday (February 8) from 9.30am to 1.30pm. SCOTO, which launched last year and now has more than 100 members, hopes the roadshow will raise the profile of community tourism, promote networking and inspire more community-led tourism enterprises.

Its members include museums, outdoor experiences, information centres, glamping providers, cafes, trails and numerous other tourism attractions and services owned and operated by local communities.

SCOTO was launched in a bid to promote community-owned tourism enterprises. Membership has grown rapidly and the body is keen to engage communities that are delivering tourism products and others that may have an interest in developing local tourism facilities.

The roadshow is open to existing members, social enterprises and organisations delivering community tourism, local tourism groups and those aspiring to set up a tourism offering. As well as networking opportunities, the event will also offer practical support.

Carron Tobin, a SCOTO director and founding member, said: “The network is diverse and continues to expand as more and more community run tourism enterprises see the advantage of working together.

"We would encourage anyone who is passionate about supporting local tourism to join our roadshow and meet others in the sector who are working hard to promote community-owned tourism.”

She added: “At this time of year, many people are thinking about booking short breaks. We want more people to think about touring Scotland and enjoying the many wonderful attractions we have that are owned and run by local communities.

"Every pound spent in a local tourism facility benefits that local community, and everything that’s spent is reinvested back into the local community, ensuring that some of our remote and rural facilities remain sustainable for the long term.”