Plana leasachaidh turasachd Innse Gall a’ faotainn £375,000

[English translation below]

Bidh am pròiseact luach £710,652, air a stiùireadh leis a’ bhuidheann stiùiridh chinn-uidhe, Turasachd Innse Gall (OHT), a’ cur an gnìomh sreath de dh’iomairtean a tha ag amas air ath-leasachadh a bhrosnachadh, a chomasachadh agus a lìbhrigeadh.

Bidh maoineachadh HIE a’ dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil OHT air a ghoireasachadh gu ìre airson àite deatamach a ghnìomhadh ann an ath-leasachadh turasachd tarsainn an t-sreath eileanan, agus bidh suas ri ceithir dreuchdan air an cruthachadh gus taic a chur ri OHT agus pròiseactan co-cheangailte.

Tha tuigse aig HIE don obair chudromach a tha buidhnean stiùiridh chinn-uidhe (DMOs) a’ coileanadh, an comas ruigsinneachd air gnothachasan agus coimhearsnachdan ionadail agus am buaidh air ath-leasachadh turasachd uaine seasmhach taobh ri taobh le stiùireadh cunntachail air luchd-turais.

Bheir maoineachadh a’ phròiseict seo comas do OHT obrachadh leis na buill agus le com-pàirtichean na roinne poblaich gus ro-innleachd turasachd Sealladh 2030 (Outlook 2030) a lìbhrigeadh, a tha a’ cur dhaoine agus choimhearsnachdan aig teis-meadhan a’ ghnìomhachais. Bidh obair com-pàirteachaidh leantainneach le Visit Scotland, CalMac agus feadhainn eile gus inbhe nan eilean adhartachadh, a’ brosnachadh iarrtais agus a’ cuideachadh le fàs eaconamach a stiùireadh.

Tha maoineachadh HIE bho mhaoin £3m a chaidh aontachadh leis a’ bhuidheann san t-Sultain 2020 gus taic a chur ri DMOan turasachd a tha cudromach gu ro-innleachdail thar nan trì bliadhna ri teachd, mar phàirt de thaic nas fharsainge às leth ath-leasachadh na roinne turasachd.

Thuirt Joanna Peteranna, an ceannard taic iomairt aig HIE:

“Tha turasachd aig teis-meadhan eaconamaidh Innse Gall agus na thùs deatamach do chosnadh dùthchail agus fulangas coimhearsnachd. Ro bhuaidh galar-sgaoilte COVID, bha an roinn turasachd air a dhol tro dheich bliadhna de fhàs seasmhach, a’ cur spionnadh feumail ri eaconamaidh nan eilean.

“Tha OHT a’ solarachadh taic cho-òrdanaichte luachmhor don roinn, agus air a bhith na lòchran luachmhor don ghnìomhachas thar na bliadhna a chaidh seachad. Tha a ro-innleachdan ath-ùraichte a’ comharrachadh nam prìomhachasan ann an ath-leasachaidh na roinne, a’ cuimseachadh air coimhearsnachdan, cosnadh, agus gnothachasan a thuilleadh air eòlas luchd-turais.

“Tha e cudromach gu bheil gu leòr ghoireasan aig a’ bhuidheann gus a bhith cho èifeachdach ’s a ghabhas a dhèanamh ann an lìbhrigeadh mu choinneamh nam prìomhachasan sin, agus sin an t-adhbhar gun do bhuilich sinn am maoineachadh seo.

“Tha sinn a’ coimhead air adhart ri leantainn air ar n-obair le OHT, ar com-pàirtichean agus roinn turasachd Innse Gall gus ath-leasachadh soirbheachail is seasmhach a choileanadh.”

Thuirt Raibeart MacFhionghain, Àrd-Oifigear OHT:

“Bheir na trì bliadhna de mhaoineachadh an t-seasmhachd air a bheil cruaidh-fheum do OHT gus ath-leasachadh turasachd, a tha deatamach do eaconamaidh nan eilean, a cho-òrdanachadh.  Chì lìbhrigeadh air a’ phlana an roinn a’ fosgladh a-mach gu fulangas eaconamach a leasachadh tro leudachadh air an t-seusan, a thuilleadh air buannachdan meudaichte do ar coimhearsnachdan. Leanaidh sinn leis an obair bhunaiteach le coimhearsnachdan is gnothachasan tro na h-eileanan agus ar com-pàirtichean san roinne phoblaich, gus turasachd a chur air a casan a-rithist agus uidheamaichte don àm ri teachd.”  

Outer Hebrides Tourism recovery plan secures £375,000

A three-year project to restore confidence and resilience in the Outer Hebrides’ tourism sector has secured £375,354 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).

The £710,652 project, led by destination management organisation Outer Hebrides Tourism (OHT), will deliver a series of initiatives aimed at inspiring, enabling and delivering destination recovery.

The HIE funding will ensure that OHT is sufficiently resourced to play a vital role in the recovery of tourism across the island chain and up to four jobs will be created to support OHT and associated projects.

HIE recognises the important role played by destination management organisations (DMOs), their extensive reach into local businesses and communities and their influence on a sustainable green tourism recovery alongside responsible visitor management.

The funding of this project will enable OHT to work with its members and public sector partners to deliver on the Sealladh 2030 (Outlook 2030) tourism strategy, which puts people and communities at the centre of the industry. Continued partnership working with Visit Scotland, CalMac and others to promote the islands will stimulate demand and help drive economic recovery.

The HIE funding is from £3m approved by the agency in September 2020 to support strategically important tourism DMOs over the next three years, as part of wider support for the tourism sector’s recovery.

Joanna Peteranna, HIE’s head of enterprise support, said:

“Tourism is central to the Outer Hebrides' economy and a vital source of rural employment and community resilience. Prior to the impact of the pandemic, the tourism sector had enjoyed a decade of sustained growth, adding much-needed momentum to the islands’ economy.

“OHT provides valuable co-ordinated support for the sector and has been a valuable voice for the industry over the last year. Its updated strategy identifies the priorities for the sector’s recovery, focusing on communities, employment, businesses as well as the visitor experience.

“It is important that the organisation has sufficient resources to be as effective as possible in delivering against these priorities, and that’s why we have granted this funding.

“We look forward to continuing our work with OHT, our partners and the Outer Hebrides tourism sector to achieve a successful and sustainable recovery.”

Robert McKinnon, Chief Executive of OHT, said:

“The three years of funding will provide the stability required for OHT to co-ordinate the recovery of tourism which is crucial to the island economy.  Delivering the plan will see the sector evolve to improve both economic resilience, through extending the season as well as increased benefits to our communities. We will continue its work on the ground throughout the islands with communities, businesses and our public sector partners to get tourism back on its feet and equipped to face the future”.