Improvement Districts and Tourism

The collective power and versatility of Scotland’s improvement districts cannot be underplayed. The Tourism Business Improvement Districts which exist across the country are fantastic examples of how the BID model can be shaped to suit its area’s needs.

Rather than operating within the boundaries of a town or city centre – as BIDs more traditionally do – these operate within broader geographic areas, pulling together businesses with a direct interest in the visitor industry. They allow them to work together for the broader good – promoting their place and attracting visitors from across the world.

Specific Tourism BIDs – and those where tourism is a key part of their area’s economy –  play a pivotal role in boosting tourism by creating vibrant destinations that cater to the modern traveller, driving economic growth along the way.

The transformative power of local leadership and collaboration in creating vibrant, visitor-friendly destinations is demonstrated by BIDs across the country. Through strategic investments in infrastructure, marketing, and event programming, these BIDs have turned their regions into thriving visitor hubs that celebrate the unique charm of Scotland’s towns and natural landscapes.

See what some of our BIDs are doing with local communities to create visitor destinations below:

Go Tweed Valley
Visit Loch Ness Inverness
BID4Oban
Discover Lanark
Isle of Bute