A new grant funding programme set up by the council will draw on the expected funds from the Visitor Levy and will be directed to businesses in the city.
The scheme – The Edinburgh Visitor Economy Improvement Fund (EVEIF) will support firms involved in the visitor economy.
The money is not new as the fund sits within the £90 million programme already announced in July, but the intention is to help by encouraging partnership working among different organisations.
The aim is to fund joint marketing activity, way finding information in the city’s neighbourhoods, maps or seasonal campaigns. The first phase is now open for applications of grants between £1,000 and £15,000 as the council gets ready for the first payments of the Visitor Levy to be made to them in October.
Council Leader Jane Meagher said: “The Edinburgh Visitor Levy allows us to invest in the services and spaces that matter to residents, businesses and visitors, and one of the most important outcomes of the scheme is increasing our support for the organisations that help make the city the special place it is today.
“Introducing the EVEIF is a key part of this and means we can support businesses of all sizes on a range of practical improvements, while helping them adopt greener practices, provide Fair Work and greater job security for their employees and improve Edinburgh’s visitor experience even further.
“This is a great opportunity for visitor economy businesses to work together on practical improvements. We can support these organisations to invest in their businesses while protecting and improving their local neighbourhoods, and help to make our city a stronger and more welcoming destination for everyone in the process.”
Business collectives or applications submitted by a named lead organisation may be made on the council’s website.
The way the Visitor Levy funding will be distributed has already been agreed along three lines – City Operations and Infrastructure; Culture, Heritage and Events; and Destination and Visitor Management. The council has already spent money on the Edinburgh Festival Carnival and Mardi Gras in July and on paying for ten city ambassadors to help visitors find their way in the city, and also to fund a City Centre Policing Unit.
A full list of the projects is available on the Visitor Levy section of the Council’s website.
