Adam launches new tourism forum to 'make the most of the coast'
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A NEW forum dedicated to promoting the unique attractions of the north-east has been launched.
The introductory meeting Making the Most of the Coast: Tourism Forum initiative took place over Teams on Tuesday, March 22.
Hosting the event was Banffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Karen Adam, who made the creation of a north-east tourism forum a key plank of her campaign at last May's Scottish Parliament election.
The SNP MSP vowed to bring local leaders, tourism sector-related businesses, local authorities, and third sector organisations together to create a forum that supports Banffshire and Buchan Coast’s businesses within the constituency, supporting them in networking, increasing awareness of potential funding avenues, and ultimately creating and sustaining more jobs in the area.
Tuesday’s introductory meeting saw well over a dozen industry leaders contribute during its session with unanimously positive feedback during its discussions.
Ms Adam said: "I am delighted to announce the launch of Banffshire and Buchan Coast’s first ever dedicated constituency Tourism Forum.
“During the Scottish Parliament elections last year, I vowed to bring key stakeholders together to support and manage tourism along our beautiful coast, from Buckie to Boddam.
“This is only the beginning for this initiative. In the coming weeks I will follow up with the forum’s stakeholders to conduct a listening exercise to explore what we can collectively do to ensure a strong recovery for the area.
“I’m really looking forward to working with businesses and organisations in the constituency to showcase the best of what we have to offer. The feedback from attendees of the first introductory meeting has been resoundingly positive.
“As we look to get back to a sense of normality in our lives again, people don’t just have to enjoy the beauty of Banffshire and Buchan Coast from behind their screens anymore, Banffshire and Buchan Coast is open for business.
“We have a distinctly unique Scottish culture up here in the north-east which is a huge attraction for tourists from all over the world. The possibilities of what we can achieve by collaborating in this forum together is endless, and I’m excited to crack on with the work that needs to be done.”
Since being elected last year, Ms Adam has already spent much of her first term boosting awareness of the constituency’s unique attractions, such as recognising the renaissance of Doric language and culture to showcasing the foraging potential of the area, where she titled Banffshire and Buchan Coast as “Scotland’s larder”.
