Find more funding
There are many other organisations who may be offering funding that will help you, and our handy funding search tool brings them all together.
Tourism training programme open for Scotland’s island communities
Free training programme to help island communities develop sustainable tourism, build local networks and maximise benefits for residents and businesses.
Island communities across Scotland are being invited to take part in a new free learning and networking programme designed to help make tourism more sustainable, community-led and beneficial for local people.
Delivered by Scottish Community Tourism Network (SCOTO) on behalf of the Scottish Government, the Islands Community Tourism Learning and Networking Programme aims to build the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to develop tourism initiatives that support local businesses, communities and places.
The programme consists of 11 interactive online workshops running on Thursday mornings from 29 October 2026 to 25 February 2027. Participants will explore a range of topics including community-led tourism, governance and partnerships, destination development, visitor management, sustainability and measuring tourism’s impact. The workshops will also provide opportunities for island communities to connect, share experiences and learn from one another.
The training is open to a wide range of participants, including community organisations, development trusts, community councils, tourism businesses, sole traders, voluntary groups and individuals involved in community tourism development.
As part of the programme, anyone attending the workshops will be eligible to apply for a funded place on a four-day learning journey to Orkney in March 2027. The visit will offer the opportunity to learn from successful community-led tourism initiatives and attend the Scottish Community Tourism Gathering.
Participants will gain practical skills, discover examples of successful community tourism projects from across Scotland, build valuable connections with other island communities and explore ways to maximise the benefits of tourism for local people and places.
The programme is free to join, with 20 places available for each workshop. Interested participants can register for individual sessions and attend as many workshops as they wish, subject to availability.
For more information and to register, visit: www.hie.co.uk/support/browse-all-support-services/islands-community-tourism-learning-and-networking-programme/
