A total of 31 projects across 10 local authorities and two national park authorities have already been offered grants worth nearly £6 million in the previous two rounds of Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund (RTIF) awards and applications are now open for the third round.

The fund – administered by VisitScotland - aims to help tourist attractions and their communities deal with the impact of increased visitor numbers on the local infrastructure by helping with improvements such as parking areas, visitor facilities and recycling points.

On a visit to Moray, Fiona Hyslop, tourism secretary, said: “While we should be proud that Scotland’s breathtaking natural scenery and rich historical sites attract so many visitors and help the local economy, we know that this success is often tempered by increased pressure on communities, services, transport and facilities – particularly in rural areas.

“The importance of a fund dedicated to helping deal with increasing demand can be seen by the level of interest in the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund since its creation in 2017 and the improvements it has been able to fund. That is why in September we announced that a further £3 million was being made available to invest in new projects in 2020-21.

“Applications are now being invited from local authorities and national park authorities to apply individually or in partnership with their communities for a share of this pot. This investment is crucial so that visitors from home and abroad can continue to enjoy our fantastic landscape, culture and hospitality for years to come.”