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About Us
In 2005, following re-organisation of the national body VisitScotland and the ending of the Western Isles Tourist Board, a number of island businesses formed Outer Hebrides Tourism Industry Association (OHTIA) in order that local tourism interests had a voice.
In 2012, OHTIA secured funding to build the www.visitouterhebrides.co.uk website, Outer Hebrides App and create the Outer Hebrides brand.
In 2014 OHTIA become a community interest company operating as the Outer Hebrides Tourism Community Interest Company (CIC), through the Outer Hebrides Tourism (Trading) Community Interest Company. The trading company operates the website and runs other marketing initiatives which selectively benefits members. The main company provides services for all tourism activity in the Outer Hebrides, for the benefit of members and non-members alike. At this point OHTIA renamed the organisation to Outer Hebrides Tourism.
Outer Hebrides Tourism membership is drawn from all parts of the tourist industry: accommodation providers, arts and crafts, retailers, activity providers and other services such as car hire and food producers. Thanks to funding opportunities, OHT have established trails, web subsites, leaflets and promotional aids for the industry. OHT have a strong voice on behalf of the tourism industry, lobbying for various issues that affect our industry e.g. ferry capacity.
Although independent of VisitScotland, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (CnES) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), OHT works closely with all three organisations to achieve our Tourism Outer Hebrides 2020 ambition for tourism in the Outer Hebrides. All three organisations and OHT formed a leadership group, which OHT chair, to drive this strategy forward.
The directors are volunteers elected at the AGM each year run the two companies.
Currently there are two staff employed, part funded by membership subscriptions and funding. OHT will be recruiting a Chief Executive Officer, which will be funded by HIE, with details to follow. For more information on directors and staff click here.
