Written Question · S1W-34047 · Session 1
Whether any financial assistance will be provided for the promotion of the (a) Edinburgh Marathon 2003 and (b) Loch Ness Marathon 2003; whe…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any financial assistance will be provided for the promotion of the (a) Edinburgh Marathon 2003 and (b) Loch Ness Marathon 2003; whether financial assistance in meeting part of the costs of advertising such events in journals such as Runners World may lead to a substantial return on investment for the tourism industry by spreading awareness of the events to a wider audience; whether VisitScotland provided any direct financial assistance for the Loch Ness Marathon 2002, and, if so, what the reasons are for the change in VisitScotland's position that no financial assistance was available, given in response to a letter from me urging it to provide such assistance.
The answer
The Scottish Executive has not been approached for financial assistance for the Edinburgh Marathon or the Loch Ness Marathon and, therefore, has no plans to support either event. It is for VisitScotland to consider the various approaches it receives for support against its objectives and priorities. I understand that VisitScotland decided against providing financial support for promotion of the Loch Ness event in both 2002 and 2003, but VisitScotland did promote the Loch Ness Marathon in its Active Scotland news release in 2002 and plans to do likewise this year. I suggest that any further questions on this particular issue be taken up directly with VisitScotland.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S1W-34047 by reference.