Destination Leader Opportunities for Members
Destination Leader Applications Open for 2023 – 2025
Scottish Agritourism has launched a new opportunity for members to take up the role of Destination Leader for their region.
New Destination Leaders will take up their appointment at the end of June this year when eight current Destination Leaders stand down after three years’ service. They are Fiona Scott, Fearn Fam, Highlands; Alison Younger, Old Leckie Farm, Stirling and Forth Valley; Jo McNicol, Drift, Lothians; Nikki Storrar, Ardross Farm, Fife; Ailsa Currie, Bellevue Farm, Ayrshire and Arran; Chris Scott-Park, Portnellan Farm, Glasgow & Clyde; Helen Smith, Byres Farm, Moray Speyside; Kay Wilson, Lennox of Lomond, Argyll & the Isles (Kay has been serving a dual role as Destination Leader and Board Member). Elisabeth Kelly, Airhouses will leave the Scottish Borders role after one year of service. We thank all of these Destination Leaders for their invaluable help, support and service to Scottish Agritourism during the formation and growth of the organisation and sector.
Scottish Agritourism Destination Leaders work as volunteers alongside the Sector Lead and Board to ensure that agritourism is developed in every rural area of Scotland.
Scottish Agritourism, as both a sector and a membership body is developing apace and this is an exciting time to be involved. Destination Leaders can expect to develop their own confidence and communication skills throughout the course of their appointment, as well as have the opportunity to showcase their own businesses and represent the sector to additional audiences, including elected officials and press.
Destination Leaders serve for two years. The Destination Leaders standing down in June have served three years to allow us to retain experienced leaders as we set up Scottish Agritourism as a new sector body. The following Destination Leaders were appointed in 2022 and will be serving their second year; Sarah Parker, Bowmuir Farm Holidays, Lanarkshire; David Smythe, Cloag Farm Cottages, Perthshire; Patricia Picken, Solway View Caravan and Camping, Dumfries and Galloway; Lindsay Robertson, Long Island Retreats, Highlands; Claire Fleming, Peel Farm, Angus; Liz Phillips, Cowden Farm Holidays, Aberdeenshire.
Following consultation with current Destination Leaders and the Board, we have amended the regional areas to allow for better Destination Leader coverage and to be more in keeping with Visit Scotland regional areas.
We are beginning the search for new Destination Leaders in the following areas of Scotland:
East Central
• Fife
North Area
• Highlands
• Moray Speyside
• Orkney
• Shetland
West Central
• Stirling and Forth Valley (Stirling, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk)
• Argyll and the Isles
• Glasgow and Clyde (East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire, Inverclyde
South West
• Ayrshire and Arran (East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, North Ayrshire)
South East
Scottish Borders
• Lothians (Edinburgh, East Lothian, West Lothian, Mid Lothian)
For a full job description of the Destination Leader role please find more information here. If you would like to have an informal call to find out more about the role, please email Caroline Millar, Sector Lead, who will arrange a time to speak to you. Please apply here.
Applications will close on 9th June, new Destination Leaders will be announced Friday 23rd June (at the Scottish Agritourism Royal Highland Show Drinks reception) and an induction for all Destination Leaders will be held at Balkello Farm, DD3 0RA on Thursday 29th June 2023.