Go Rural’s bid to forge Scotland forward as a world-class agritourism destination has been strengthened by the appointment of a new business manager.
Sheena Howden, who previously ran a successful farmhouse bed and breakfast business and who farms with her husband Tom at Stanley, north of Perth, joined the body earlier this month.
The 52-year-old will head up the membership and business services trading arm of Go Rural, to allow founder Caroline Millar to focus upon on Go Rural Consulting.
Sheena, who also worked formerly as Centre for Enterprise manager at Perth College University of the Highlands and Islands, will oversee the development of Go Rural as a voice for Scottish Agritourism, representing the interests of tourism, leisure and food and drink businesses based on farms, estates and crofts.
Her remit will also be to represent and support the wider agritourism supply chain working with other organisations, including the Scottish Tourism Alliance, to understand the value of the sector to the Scottish economy, and to identify any future growth potential.
Mrs Millar said: “Sheena is an exceptional business manager with a proven track record in assisting rural entrepreneurs to start or grow their business.
“She understands the bigger economic picture, having managed several high-profile European projects.”
Mrs Millar said it is the ambition of Go Rural to grow the agritourism sector to the value of £1 billion mirroring the success of the same industry within Italy, where over 200,000 farms are registered “agri-tourismos”.