For many rural communities across South Scotland, tourism is the mainstay of the local economy.

It is estimated that 80% of foreign visitor spend and 50% of spending from the home market has been lost due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. From the estimated £11bn that tourism generates in Scotland, a small but growing contribution comes from community-led tourism initiatives.

Social Enterprise Academy is offering fully funded places on their tailored training programme for local tourism leaders, starting next month.

Martin Whitfield MSP said:

“This is a fantastic opportunity for local tourism leaders in rural parts of South Scotland to develop the knowledge and leadership skills they’ll need to influence, plan and manage sustainable tourism recovery for the benefit of local communities.”