Rural Northwest Tourism Connect, a Grant Scheme to Boost Accommodation Quality
Following the successful Tourism Connect pilot programme delivered previously in Cumbria, we are delighted to be able to offer a further round of funding for local accommodation providers.
Cumbria Tourism has secured funding from the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) for which Defra is the managing authority. The scheme is designed to help serviced accommodation businesses improve their quality, increase competitiveness and raise productivity.
The scheme will run between June 2010 and December 2012, and can assist serviced accommodation businesses in Cumbria. Capital grants of £25,000 to £60,000 are offered to support significant improvement projects, using professional design, business planning and environmental advice.
Examples of activities which may be supported include;
- Bedroom / bathroom upgrades
- Amalgamation / room upgrades
- Major dining or lounge improvements
- Significant kitchen expansions or improvements
- Conference facilities & meeting rooms
- Lobby, entrance & reception facilities
- Energy saving & environmental performance measures
In all cases, applicants must be able to show that the proposed improvements are part of a comprehensive scheme to raise quality, improve occupancy, grading, profitability and environmental performance.
The grants will be available to tourism operators providing serviced accommodation in areas of Cumbria eligible for RDPE funding - this excludes the urban areas of Carlisle and Barrow. It is available only to small businesses with less than 50 employees, and must be matched with funding from the applicant.
Prospective applicants are urged to make contact with Cumbria Tourism as soon as possible to find out if projects may be eligible. All applications will be assessed by an independent Grants Panel on individual merit and on a "first come, first served" basis.
If you are considering major refurbishments and improvements and think your project could provide something truly distinctive, then you need to contact us straight away. find out more and download leaflet
Please note that we cannot support previous Tourism Connect grant recipients or projects that have already started.
Need a professional?
The aim of Rural Northwest Tourism Connect is to drive up design and accommodation standards and raise business performance. To help potential applicants access professional design, project management, business planning and environmental advice, a Select List has been produced from which clients can select their preferred specialists.
download select List of Consultants & Advisers
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/rurdev/index_en.htm
