Kintyre holiday attraction to expand, upgrade and create jobs

The £576,000 project, by Machrihanish Holiday Park, will improve the park’s accommodation and facilities, increasing the number of holiday homes available to rent and buy.

A sports court will be created, along with a new reception building. Accessibility improvements are being made, and ramps installed for toilet and shower facilities.

The project will enable the company to grow by increasing the number of the park’s holiday home pitches from 25 to 57 over the next three years, complementing its existing 40 touring pitches.

The improvements have helped safeguard the existing 3.5 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs at the park and have created a further four FTE posts. Recruitment for another three FTE roles is also planned for 2022.

Machrihanish Holiday Park forms part of the re-emerging holiday resort village of Machrihanish. The current owners have been investing in the park continuously since 2011, transforming it from a two star to a four-star park.

The business has benefited from growth in demand for self-catering staycations. With this growth set to continue, the park is expected to benefit further from the staycation market.

Morag Goodfellow, HIE’s area manager for Argyll and the Islands, said:

“Tourism has had a very difficult time but is also key to our region’s recovery.  The resilience and commitment shown by businesses in the sector has been amazing. Many continue to adapt, innovate and provide memorable and enjoyable experiences for visitors.

“Machrihanish Holiday Park is a great example. With Argyll in an ideal position to benefit from the rise in staycations, from people across Scotland and the UK, they have taken the initiative to capitalise on this market growth.

“This very welcome project will enhance the wider visitor offering, help attract more visitors and encourage longer stays in the area. As well as supporting valuable jobs in a rural area, the expected increase in visitors is also likely to benefit other local businesses.

“We are very pleased to be able to provide support and look forward to continuing to work with the business as they implement the plans.”

Ian Aitkin of Machrihanish Holiday Park said:

“There has been strong demand for self-catering, touring and camping holidays in Scotland since lockdown has ended, Kintyre has a lot to offer tourists looking for wide open spaces, miles of beaches, world-class golf and famous distilleries. Our improvement project, with help from HIE, will enable us to expand and improve the park, providing visitors with five-star facilities.”