Tourism groups across the north and north-east have spoken of the “huge relief” a £500,000 funding pot from the country’s national board has provided.
VisitScotland announced the package to help keep firms afloat during lockdown.
Among the recipients are the Banffshire Tourist Hub, which will use its share to republish the official court records from the infamous trial of James Macpherson in 1700.
Macpherson had been described as “Banff’s Robin Hood” but was hung after being caught.
Though the individual sums allocated are confidential, the group said there will be enough left to go towards a variety of other causes.
Manager, Michelle Cameron, said: “We are working on a new project looking at how to promote wildlife holidays in the north-east.
“The funding is a huge sense of relief.”
The organisation will also be producing a variety of tourist street maps and leaflets that will be distributed to local B&B’s.
Guy Macpherson-Grant, founder of the NE250 tourist trail around the north-east coast, was another recipient.
He said “As we look to play our part in the rebirth of Scotland’s visitor economy, the support will provide much-needed marketing for the attractions of the area surrounding the route, at a time when business members are watching every penny of spend.
“With the prospect of the removal of travel restrictions next month, all of us are looking forward to welcoming back visitors from across Scotland and the rest of the UK.”
A total of 81 membership organisations received a share of the £500,000.
North groups that received grants included Golf Highland, Heart of Sutherland Tourism, Inverness and District B&B Association, Lochaber Chamber of Commerce, North Coast 500 and Welcome Ullapool.
Neil Hampton, from the Golf Highland board, said: “The devastating effect of the pandemic meant we couldn’t ask clubs for money as they were struggling to survive themselves, but with the knowledge that this was the time we really did need to get the message out.
“The funding from VisitScotland won’t fill the hole completely but will go a long way to ensuring that Golf Highland is still projecting the message to the world.”
