With the outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic here and around the world, there is no doubt that the tourism sector is facing a crisis of grave proportions. Business survival is paramount alongside personal health and safety. On behalf of Heart 200, and as a fellow hospitality business owner myself, I urge you to take Government directives seriously.

Despite current circumstances, I believe there is light at the end of the tunnel. When this passes, and it will, there is likely to be a healthy upsurge in stay-vacation numbers in 2021. Perhaps even sooner. Interest in home-based breaks will jump significantly, as people look closer to home for holiday destinations. Many who have had to spend weeks, if not months, at home will be desperate for a break in the great outdoors. Scotland will be top of the list. There is every reason to hope that this lift in domestic tourism will be followed by an influx of visitors from mainland Europe. The best of times may well be just around the corner.

At Heart 200 we are determined to make the heart of Scotland the focus of the renewed appetite for UK-based holidays. Work progresses on our website, Visitor Travel Club, business membership and initial merchandising. There are some very exciting and eye-catching projects in the pipeline aimed at benefiting both the hospitality and tourism sectors. Our membership is growing!

We are delighted to welcome Fonab Castle Hotel & Spa on board as an Ambassador of Heart 200, joining the likes of Crieff Hydro Hotel, another hotel giant in Perthshire. Coupled with this, Historic Scotland, with its five castles in the region, has become a business member alongside the RSPB Wildlife Charity in Kinross. In addition, we’re delighted that a dedicated guidebook for the region has just been published – The Heart 200 – a real treasure trove of interesting things to see and do in this beautiful part of Scotland.

Every tourism business within the heart of Scotland is welcome to join us and become a business member of Heart 200. Help us to help you weather this storm. The more Heart 200 can offer visitors the better. We’re looking for restaurants, hotels, B&Bs, car hire companies, cafes, visitor attractions, gardens, outdoor activities, art galleries and castles to highlight. There is so much for us to boast about in this region!

Join Heart 200 now and you can settle your subscription later in the year when all is back to normal. To find out more please email us at [email protected].

In the meantime, keep safe, don’t despair – we’ll get through this together.

Robbie Cairns,

MD, Heart 200

Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay

Author: icreation