This free event takes place from 9.30am to 3.20pm at Portavadie Marina, Cowal, on Thursday 1 March.

At our first Tourism Summit last year, your input helped shape the activity of the Argyll & the Isles Strategic Touirsm Partnership. On 1 March this year, we’ll update you on the work we’ve done as a result: developing a brand identity for Argyll and the Isles, coordinating a strong Argyll presence at VisitScotland expo and forming a commercial trading arm for the Partnership that will continue to deliver benefits for Argyll.

VisitScotland Chief Executive Malcolm Roughead OBE will be among the high-profile industry leaders speaking at the event.

Malcolm will join a panel of experts to take your questions. We’ll explore the potential of cultural and marine tourism for the area, and hear from regional marketing groups. Plus, as last year, we’ll have a workshop session to allow us all the opportunity to share expertise and gain new insights from each other – including a closer look at social media.

This year has enormous potential for the whole country. We have the right product in the Year of Creative Scotland 2012, the marketing power of Disney/Pixar behind their new Brave movie, and we have the opportunity that comes with the Olympics at the height of the summer.

In Argyll and the Isles, we have good reason to expect the rewards of those opportunities. There’s a lot to discuss, so our networking lunch of superb Argyll produce will also be one of the highlights.

Further information

Argyll & the Isles Tourism Summit 2011

Read the report on last year’s Tourism Summit here.

Portavadie Marina

A location plan for Portavadie Marina is available here.

CalMac ferries

Plan your ferry travel to Portavadie at the Calmac website.

Programme

09.30              Registration & refreshments.

10.00              Welcome & Introduction

Cllr Neil Mackay, Tourism spokesman, Argyll & Bute Council

10.10              Keynote address

Malcolm Roughead OBE, Chief Executive, VisitScotland

10.30              Stronger Together: Argyll & the Isles Strategic Tourism Partnership

                       Mike Story, Vice-Chairman, Argyll & the Isles Strategic Tourism Partnership

 10.50              Presentation 1: Marine Tourism

                       James Stuart, CEO, Royal Yachting Association Scotland

 11.05              Break for refreshments & networking

 11.25              Presentation 2: Cultural Tourism

                       Carron Tobin, Director, ruralDimensions

11.40              Q&A with panel of industry leaders

12.20              Buffet networking lunch of Argyll produce from land and sea

13.30              Workshops sessions

 14.30             Three short presentations 'from the Isles'.

14.45              Argyll & the Isles Tourism Award

15.00              Summary of the day and closing remarks.

15.20              Close.