Perth College UHI plays leading role in ecotourism project

The Centre for Mountain Studies at Perth College UHI is leading a new £1.2 million three-year ecotourism project.

Funded by the European Commission’s Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme, Sustainable Heritage Areas: Partnerships for Ecotourism (SHAPE) will enable authorities, businesses and communities to develop innovative ecotourism initiatives which preserve local assets and create economic value from them.

Twenty participants from the project partners have met in Dumfries to begin work on the project.

The idea behind SHAPE is that ecotourism can preserve rather than destroy the natural and cultural heritage while increasing visitors’ understanding and providing jobs.