Seafood Scotland is to introduce a mentoring programme that will see the trade body work with organisations to establish new tourism opportunities for the Scottish seafood industry.
The organisation’s ambition is “to inspire seafood organisations to exploit the huge growth in food tourism in Scotland.” According to Seafood Scotland, the programme will encourage Scottish seafood businesses to spread risk by diversifying into new and emerging sectors.
Expected to run for six months the initiative will provide businesses with mentoring free of charge for their pilot projects, reducing the financial pressure on the businesses involved.
Seafood Scotland is reaching out to the seafood industry, local food groups and regional inshore fishery groups across Scotland to hear all ideas for potential seafood tourism projects. The body is looking for seafood businesses with an idea that will:
- Provide an authentic or innovative experience
- Tell their story as an engaging and immersive experience
- Answer a question that customers regularly ask
- Ultimately increase their revenue.
“Huge potential”
Donna Fordyce, chief executive at Seafood Scotland, said: “We want to seek out seafood entrepreneurs that have been harbouring a nugget of an idea for business growth within the tourism sector, something that they haven’t had time or resource to explore before now. We will help them make that idea a reality. This programme is designed to help inspire and ignite seafood tourism in Scotland; a market we know has huge potential and can be an area for growth for the Scottish seafood industry.”
To find out more and sign up for the programme visit the Seafood Scotland website by clicking here, or email karen.galloway@seafoodscotland.org. All enquiries are requested to be submitted by 11th February 2022. The successful pilots are expected to be announced late February.
