Loch Ness beauty spot receives toilet upgrade
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New, more environmentally friendly, toilets are set to be installed close to a Loch Ness beauty spot as part of an investment of more than £5.8 million in Scotland's tourism infrastructure from the Scottish Tourism Emergency Response Group (STERG).
This includes £340,000 for Highland Council to instal new toilet facilities at Falls of Foyers and update toilet and waste disposal facilities at Invermoriston.
The new toilets at Foyers will be housed within a low carbon, sustainable building that will replace a condemned toilet block.
Highland Council will also receive £102,345 for another toilet related project, the second phase of the Cludgie Project in Assynt, providing motorhome and waste disposal facilities at this key location on the NC500, as well as £192,000 for the Ardmamurchan Lighthouse Project, a partnership project with Arnamurchan Lighthouse Trust to improve access to the historic lighthouse.
Money will also be invested on Skye for toilet and parking facilities and a new path at Elgol, with campervan facilities at Sleat and a new path at the Old Man of Storr also approved subject to conditions.
STERG is supporting tourism recovery following the unprecedented Covid-19 situation, through three separate funds to help improve infrastructure and the overall visitor experience as part of responsible tourism work being carried out by VisitScotland, NatureScot and a number of other partners across the country. This includes the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund (RTIF) with the announcement of over £2.4 million funding for 10 sites across Scotland; NatureScot’s £3.1 million Green Recovery Better Places Fund; and the pilot Strategic Tourism Infrastructure Development Fund, which supports a further 10 applications totalling almost £307,000.
Scotland's tourism minister, Ivan McKee, said: “As many people choose to staycation this year, we are supporting our rural communities as much as possible to cope with the increased numbers looking to enjoy Scotland’s beautiful countryside.
“I’m delighted to see that through our funding and work with NatureScot and VisitScotland, as well as local communities across the country, we can ensure that we can welcome more visitors to our unique natural environment without damaging what makes it so special.
“Scotland has world-leading legislation giving people rights to access our countryside but it’s important that these are exercised responsibly and with respect for others, for wildlife and for the land itself. Investing in visitor management and supporting our rural communities is a crucial part of sustainable tourism growth.”
Malcolm Roughead, VisitScotland chief executive, said: “The STERG tourism recovery funding is crucial in helping improve vital infrastructure and the overall visitor experience as part of responsible tourism work being undertaken by VisitScotland, NatureScot and our partners across the country.
“Over the last three years, the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund has played an important role in improving the visitor experience, be it car parking, toilets or footpaths, as we want people to have a must visit-must return experience, so I am delighted to see another 11 projects receiving funding.
“We all need to play our part in being responsible visitors and improvement works like these are crucial to ensuring our visitor destinations remain sustainable for years to come.
“Tourism is a force for good and if managed responsibly, sustains communities in every corner of Scotland, creates jobs, tackles depopulation and improves the wellbeing of everyone who experiences it.”
