Tourism Innovation Fund

The Tourism Innovation Fund (TIF) provides matched funding of up to £30,000 and professional one-to-one advice to help develop and commercialise the very best innovative tourism ideas.

TIF support is allocated via a competitive judging process. Successful projects will demonstrate industry-level tourism innovation combined with a real potential to achieve significant business growth as a result (for example, generating higher tourism spend; increasing overnight visitor numbers; getting visitors to stay longer; or extending the season outwith peak months).

The intention is for winning projects to become exemplars for Scottish tourism innovation and where possible be developed into case studies to help stimulate further innovation throughout the industry.

The innovative idea could be based on a product, service or business process. Financial support from TIF can contribute to costs incurred in the development of an idea, for example, market research, producing samples, feasibility studies or preparing for market launch. Terms and conditions apply.

TIF does not support pure marketing projects that are intended to only promote existing products and/or experiences. VisitScotland's Business Growth Fund supports collaborative marketing project ideas. TIF also does not support capital expenditure project costs.

Eligibility

  • Applicants must be based in the Scottish Enterprise area. Businesses in the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) area are not eligible to apply to this fund. For further information on HIE support for Tourism, please visit the HIE website.
  • The proposed project is required to derive the majority of its turnover from servicing the needs of leisure and/or business tourists.
  • Applications from public sector organisations will not be accepted. However public organisations can form part of a collaboration with a private sector business or businesses.

Although open to individual tourism businesses, TIF would particularly welcome collaborative applications from groups of businesses working together. Preference will also be given to small or medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

Application Process

Support will be awarded via a competitive process that incorporates the following stages:

1. Submission of an Application Form

  1. Complete the pre-application checklist to ensure you are eligible to apply.
  2. Once you have completed the checklist, you can download a Tourism Innovation Fund Application Form and Guidance Notes.
  3. Complete the form and email as an attachment to TIF@scotent.co.uk by the relevant closing date:

    Round 1 - 30 April 2009 - COMPLETE
    Round 2 - 30 September 2009 - COMPLETE
    Round 3 - 28 January 2010 - COMPLETE
    Round 4 - 30 April 2010 - COMPLETE
    Round 5 - 30 September 2010 - COMPLETE
    Round 6 - 28 January 2011 - COMPLETE
    Round 7 - 29 April 2011 - COMPLETE
    Round 8 - 30 September 2011
    Round 9 - 27 January 2012

  4. Application Forms received after a closing date will be accepted into the next round.

2. Presentation to a Judging Panel

  1. A short-list of applicants will be drawn up based on Application Forms received. Applicants will then be invited to present to a Judging Panel consisting of members of the Scottish Enterprise Tourism and Innovation teams supported by tourism industry representatives.
  2. Winning projects will be selected by Scottish Enterprise.

Contact us

For more information call 0845 607 8787 or email TIF@scotent.co.uk