This service offers up to 3 days of free one-to-one specialist digital advice for small and medium-sized businesses in the tourism sector in the Highland Council area.

You'll get to speak to digital experts from several disciplines, who will help you understand your options and develop and exploit digital opportunities for growth. 

The service is flexible. It can be tailored to suit your needs, depending on what you need support with and the stage you’re at in the process.

You can get advice on:

• mobile technology
• cloud computing
• artificial intelligence
• data analytics

The support does not cover:

• marketing
• social media

Businesses that successfully adopt digital processes can become more productive and efficient, freeing up time to focus on broader strategic tasks. Digital can help you:

• reach new markets
• develop new products
• adopt advanced business models
• access the wider digital tourism ecosystem

This service is offered by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) through the Northern Innovation Hub.

Yes, if your organisation:

• is based in the Highland Council area
• is a small or medium-sized enterprise or social enterprise
• operates in the tourism sector
• already has a good working knowledge of basic digital tools and platforms – for example, you may have:
  • a functional website with an online booking system (if applicable)
  • active social media profiles, with an ongoing social media strategy
  • booking platforms or software to manage customer interactions with some level of automation

The service is intended to support advanced levels of digitisation. It does not provide support in areas such as marketing and social media.

The advice you receive through this service is free. There may be costs associated with adopting digital processes or technologies in your business.

Small and medium-sized businesses that operate in the tourism sector in the Highland Council area.

To apply, you'll need to complete a short enquiry form on the HIE website. If you're eligible for the service, you'll be invited to register for HIE’s online client portal and submit a short application. This entire process should take around 1 to 2 hours to complete.

If your application is successful, you'll receive up to 3 days of specialist advice from an expert, depending on your requirements.

Visit the HIE website for more information and to complete an enquiry form.