Group to deliver food tourism boost

AN ambitious plan to boost food tourism in Scotland by £1 billion has taken another step forward with the creation of a national board to oversee its delivery.

Chaired by Marc Crothall of the Scottish Tourism Alliance, and project managed by Fiona Richmond, head of regional food for Scotland Food & Drink, the new board is tasked with implementing the Food Tourism Action Plan, which launched last August and set out a blueprint to increase visitor spend on food and drink by £1bn by 2030. The joint initiative between industry and the Scottish Government aims to capitalise on what’s said to be a growing demand for Scottish destinations “to offer quality food and drink, with clear provenance and real, memorable experiences”.

Crothall said: “The formation of such a strong, diverse board with representation across all of Scotland’s food and tourism sectors marks a hugely important step forward in realising the bold ambition set out in the Food Tourism Action Plan. I look forward to working with the board in the coming months and years to deliver our actions and grow Scotland into a number one global destination for food and drink.”