SkyeConnect Finance
SkyeConnect was established in 2017 as the island’s first Destination Management Organisation, representing the tourism industry and wider business community in Skye and Raasay.
As with other DMOs in Scotland, SkyeConnect is supported in its work by a number of public agencies including Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the Highland Council and Visit Scotland. Grants from these organisations allow SkyeConnect to employ a full-time project manager, a communications and media adviser as well as providing administrative and financial support. In the past year SkyeConnect has worked with a number of partner agencies to undertake a range of projects including the recently published Skye Tourism Economic Impact Study produced by the Moffatt Centre for Tourism Research and Business at Glasgow Caledonian University.
This comprehensive report showed that in 2019 the tourism industry in Skye was worth over £260m to the economy.
We collaborate with a range of organisations including charities, an example of which is the newly launched Skye Cycle Network project, sponsored by Sustrans Scotland which aims to provide better cycling, walking and wheeling access for communities across Skye and Raasay.
“The objectives of the SkyeConnect are to carry on activities which benefit the community and in particular (without limitation) to the tourism and business community of Skye and Raasay without distinction on the size of business, sector grounds of race, gender, political, religious, or other opinions.”
In addition to public funding, SkyeConnect is a membership organisation offering a range of benefits with monthly subscription options. Further income comes from events including conferences, training seminars, workshops and in 2019 and 2020 a ‘Buyers and Suppliers’ event held to bring together local buyers from tourism and business and services suppliers from across the country. We frequently explore the opportunities for private sector sponsorship, which together with a growing membership base contributes to the aim of becoming a self-sustaining community organisation going forward.
In June of 2020 SkyeConnect became a Community Interest Company, transitioning from a private company limited by guarantee without share capital. Becoming a CIC provides enhanced funding opportunities from the public sector but without the constraints of being a charity. Our accounts are Our accounts are managed by our accountants Campbell Stewart and Maclennan and are posted on an annual basis to our Companies House web page here. Under our listing on the Companies House website (Scottish Company 401007) you can find our officers, financial reporting and Articles of Association. Within our Articles it states ‘the objects of the company are to benefit the community and in particular (without limitation) to the tourism and business community of Skye and Raasay’.
The board members and staff welcome feedback from our members and the wider business community across the region and if you have any questions, comments or suggestions please get in touch at info@skye-connect.com.