A consortium of 31 Highland-based tourism and travel businesses, set up to promote its members and the area to potential customers across the UK and overseas, has been awarded a marketing grant of more than £48,000 from Inverness and Nairn Enterprise (INE).

The 'Highland Loch Ness - More than a Monster' group (HLN) will use the money to help fund a number of direct marketing activities.  These include attendance at travel trade exhibitions in the UK and abroad, development of publicity and display material, and familiarisation visits to the area by key buyers.

The consortium was established in 2000 with members based mainly in the areas of Inverness, Nairn and East Sutherland.  Its activities are part funded by its members and additional support in the past has come from Highlands and Islands Enterprise, The Highland Council and Inverness and Nairn Enterprise (INE).

Ian Fraser of INE said:  "HLN is a dynamic coalition of enthusiastic business people doing their best to promote the Highlands to the rest of the UK and overseas.  They have shown that this approach can work and that it can bring considerable benefits for the local the tourism sector.  I am pleased the group has continued to operate and that we are able to provide assistance."

Consortium member, hotelier Andy Machen-Young, welcomed the INE support.  He said:  "It's heartening that the enterprise network is able to support a partnership of top tourism businesses such as this.  Without the INE support this group would be unable to deliver the Highlands message as far and as wide as it does."