Visit Scotland to dish out millions in Covid grants as govt ignores rest of UK

The tourism body will administer a substantial part of the £104.3 million pot from the Scottish government announced late last year.

Expressions of interest from Scottish inbound tour operators open on 22 January, with two other funds available for marine and outdoor tourism, which can be applied for from the last week of January.

From the first week of February, coach operators can apply for grants, with the Visitor Attractions Fund open from 8 February.

Visit Scotland said: “These nine funds present a clean sheet – so those who have had Covid-19 related funding can apply again.

“This funding will help a number of tourism and events businesses in key sectors who have received little or no support so far.

“We will be administering nine of the Scottish government funds and will move our focus from marketing to funding and support for the next three months to ensure that desperately needed help is delivered quickly, to those most in need.

“We have moved more than 100 staff from other tasks to get these funding streams organised and process them as quickly as possible.”

UKinbound chief executive Joss Croft welcomed the initiative as “a lifeline to Scottish tour operators and destination management companies”.

He said the funds were the result of the Inbound Tourism Resilience Fund proposals put by the industry in October.

He added: “In stark contrast, the UK government, which was also presented with the Inbound Tourism Resilience Fund proposal last year, has yet to revert.

“We implore the Treasury to not only consider our proposal but to engage with us directly.

“The government talks about the importance of levelling up and its desire to create a Global Britain, but currently it’s failing to support the very businesses that will be able to deliver growth to regional economics and promote Brand Britain globally.”