Scotland's tourism industry is set to take flight at the third Tourism Innovation Day which will be held on the 17th of May 2005 at the Glasgow Science Centre.

The special 'Flight to Success' event, which aims to encourage tourism businesses to be innovative and forward-thinking in their approach to product and business development, is already attracting record numbers on the back of its previous year's phenomenal success.

Inspirational guest speakers for the day include four-time Olympic Gold medallist, Sir Matthew Pinsent and William Whitehorn, the man at the helm of Virgin's space age tourism project, Virgin Galactic. 

The day is hosted by Scottish Enterprise, in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), Tourism Innovation Group and sponsored by BT. 

At the event companies will be inspired to aim high and spread their wings to new territories in innovation and business development.

Seen as one of the highlights in the tourism industry calendar, this year's event is being branded as the flight to success.  With delegate numbers expected to exceed 300 it is hoped that more companies will benefit from the event than ever before, taking away with them practical tools and fresh ideas to use in their businesses.

At the heart of the event will be four innovation workshops centred round the topics of product innovation, international connections, technological advancements and leadership in the industry. 

In the Product Innovation workshop, companies will learn how to enhance the visitor experience through the introduction of certain products including whisky, food and outdoor activities.

The International Connection workshop will aim to help companies in defining the right international strategy for their business to reach overseas markets.

The BT Technology workshop will provide a hands-on opportunity for delegates to experience and understand the latest in technological advancements that could benefit their business.

And the Leading Innovation workshop will provide the opportunity to meet and chat with industry leaders such as Stephen Carter of St Andrews Bay Resort and Paul Gudgin of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.   

In the Highlands and Islands tourism supports over 24,000 jobs.  This accounts for around 13 per cent of the total employment in the area.

Bob Kinnaird, chairman of the Tourism Innovation Group and chief executive of CairnGorm Mountain, said: "The Tourism Innovation Day in 2004 was an impressive event.  I left feeling truly inspired by the diversity of speakers and quality of the workshops and derived immense value from the contacts made throughout the day from across the industry.

"The approach to this year looks refreshingly different again with some great names and an emphasis on practical tools and techniques - I can't wait to get on board!"

Julie Franchetti, tourism innovation manager for Scottish Enterprise, commented: "This day is all about encouraging tourism companies in Scotland to make the most of their assets, be progressive, adventurous and ambitious in their own business development and through working with other businesses.

"The tourism industry boasts an annual expenditure of around £4.4 billion in Scotland alone.  To sustain and build on this the industry must look to be ahead of the game in introducing new and exciting experiences for the visitor." 

Senior tourism manager for HIE, Maria Peter, added: "This innovation day will be highly participative and offers people involved in tourism a superb opportunity to demonstrate and share the techniques of leadership and creativity which contribute to improved product quality and customer service.

"Better quality will enhance visitor experiences and increase profitability.  This is vital if Scotland is to continue to compete effectively with emerging tourist destinations worldwide."

For further information and to register please visit www.scotexchange.net