AITC collects membership fees and receives funding support from several agencies and partners, with Argyll & Bute Council and HIE providing some core funding. Additional funding is also sourced on a project-by-project basis as and when it becomes available and if we can effectively use it and meet the grant conditions.

The COVID recovery period of 2021 - 2025 is crucial, and AITC has secured a funding package of £1.2m for our recovery planning and delivery, tied to a significantly enhanced digital marketing investment and activity.

The Argyll & The Isles Strategic Tourism Partnership was set up in 2009 and Argyll & The Isles Tourism Cooperative was set up as the delivery vehicle for all strategic tourism campaigns, product development, and industry communications activity.

AITC was established as a cooperative with its membership initially being the 12 local marketing groups operating in each area of Argyll and the Isles plus sectoral associates (Food from Argyll and laterally CHArts). It was entirely industry based and has represented around 1200 business interests at regional and national forums.

In 2020, AITC entered a transitional year wherein it was clear a new operational model was required in light of public agency cutbacks, which triggered the AITC board to decide to introduce a direct membership structure to help address its future sustainability.

In 2022, AITC together with its partners Argyll & Bute Council, Visit Scotland, and Highlands & Islands Enterprise created a Visitor Economy Recovery and Growth strategy. This strategy sets out the initiatives undertaken by each of the partners to drive up visitor numbers and spending whilst encouraging sustainable visitor and business practices.  

AITC currently has a volunteer board consisting of 7 directors representing businesses based across Argyll and the Isles. They act in accordance with the current Memorandum of Articles which can be found on the AGM page.

For general enquiries please use admin@wildaboutargyll.co.uk or for specific membership information, please email members@wildaboutargyll.co.uk

Membership fees are structured according to the type and size of the business. They start at £8.50 per month rising to £120 depending on size and type of business. Please see our Join Us Page for further details.

We firmly believe tourism is everyone’s business and therefore welcome all businesses based in or who do business in Argyll to support our work and contribute to the economic growth of tourism and the local economy.

Membership is paid via a monthly Direct Debit and continues automatically until cancelled. If you choose to pay by Invoice, an invoice will be sent to you at renewal time.

DMO’s deliver a very important ‘in destination’ role for visitors and their members.

AITC recognises this crucial contribution to the tourism industry. However, our outstanding region also requires a strategic organisation to deliver services for its members by providing economies of scale and a pan-Argyll outlook.

AITC secures external funding to coordinate and deliver programmes of training (e.g. World Host, Digital Tourism Scotland), product and business development, networking, and strategic presence at VisitScotland's Connect, and other travel trade events.

Your membership of ‘Wild About Argyll’ importantly supports our industry to reach wider audiences outside the scope of local DMO’s, and as a result, contributes to the growth of tourism in Argyll.

We believe AITC offers invaluable benefits to our members. Our solid base of paid membership fees has created the leverage AITC need to negotiate a further £240,000 in funding for our activities from third parties such as Argyll and Bute Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, this year. This represents an impressive return of +727% on the core membership income received; essential for funding our destination marketing programmes and member benefit activities

We firmly believe there is value in being both a member of a local DMO and ‘Wild About Argyll’, given the very different roles we provide tourism businesses operating in Argyll.

Our outstanding region requires a strategic organisation to deliver services for members by providing economies of scale and a pan Argyll outlook. AITC secures external funding and uses this to attract additional funds to coordinate and deliver programmes of training (e.g. World Host, DTS), product and business development, networking, strategic presence at VisitScotland's EXPO and other travel trade events.

In a drive to become more sustainable, it was necessary for us to launch a new membership model in 2020. Your member businesses can now also join ‘Wild About Argyll’ and support our industry to reach wider audiences outside the scope of local DMO’s, and as a result, contributes to the growth of tourism in Argyll.

In addition to the benefits DMO’s offer to their members, direct members of ‘Wild About Argyll’ can benefit from a business landing page entry on the ‘Wild About Argyll’ website, participation in member chat forums, access to product development and networking events, and much, much more.

Sectoral groups deliver a very important role for visitors and their members. AITC recognises this crucial contribution to the tourism industry. However, our outstanding region also requires a strategic organisation to deliver services for its members by providing economies of scale and a pan Argyll outlook.

AITC secures external funding to coordinate and deliver programmes of training (e.g. World Host, DTS), product and business development, networking, strategic presence at VisitScotland's Connect and other travel trade events. Your membership of Argyll & Isles Tourism Cooperative supports our industry to reach wider audiences outside the scope of local sectoral groups, and as a result, contributes to the growth of tourism in Argyll. 

‘Wild About Argyll’ is contributing to the growth of tourism in Argyll (between 2011 and 2019 Argyll & the Isles experienced 23% increase in visitor days 32.3% increase in visitor numbers and 25.8% increase in direct expenditure), reaching a wider audience than any business or DMO can alone, and inspiring them to visit, and hence book your accommodation and activties. If we all work together, everyone will benefit from the increase in visitors.

We currently offer direct bookings on the ‘Wild About Argyll’ and 'Love Oban' websites via Free to Book and Super Control booking engines.

Yes please! We would welcome the support. Friends of AITC, non-income generating charities, community trusts and organisations plus individual local residents can all join for an annual fee of £75, or if you prefer, contribute a voluntary amount.

Yes. When you join ‘Wild About Argyll’ you will invited to join our ‘Signal’ chat forum (similar to WhatsApp), where members can ask questions, chat to other members and keep up to date with recent developments.

We organise an annual AITC Summit for our members and online networking events in the shoulder seasons.

Our Signal chat group also gives members a direct opportunity to network with members.

Aside from marketing, AITC provides a host of member benefits:

• We provide support and leadership to the tourism industry in Argyll & the Isles and provide specialist advice on marketing, PR, product development, and capacity building.
• We have a strategy for recovery and growth developed in partnership with Visit Scotland, Argyll & Bute Council, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
• We are the delivery vehicle for strategic partners in Argyll through the Argyll & the Isles Strategic Tourism Partnership and also work together on policy and strategy development.
• We provide networking opportunities to members via our Signal chat forum, FAM trips, annual Summits and online networking events.
• AITC is an active member of the Scottish Tourism Alliance which influences policy decisions such as rates, VAT, airport duty and any policy decision government makes and its effect on tourism and indeed lobbies for positive change to assist in the growth and value of tourism economy, its importance now and in the future to Scotland PLC.
• AITC is an active member of the Rest and Be Thankful Task Force looking at representing tourism businesses, residents, employees, and visitor experience in terms of lobbying for timely and permanent solution.
• AITC is an active member of the Argyll and Bute Economic Recovery Forum making sure the voice of Tourism and its opportunities, as well as challenges, are front and center of public and private collaboration and partnership.
• AITC is an active member of UKInbound representing the destination to UK and International travel trade buyers to bring additional business into Argyll & the Isles.

If you would like to cancel your membership, we will be sorry to see you go. Please contact members@wildaboutargyll.co.uk. Your feedback on your decision to leave would be appreciated.

Yes you can. Please email members@wildaboutargyll.co.uk for details.

Direct members of ‘Wild About Argyll’ will receive a listing on the website on completion of our listing form. The business will also be listed on the 'Love Oban' website if your business is in the geographic area.

If your DMO or Sectoral Group has a membership which includes member listing; they will provide the relevant details to the AITC team.

To secure your listing, please contact members@wildaboutargyll.co.uk 

We welcome input from our members on local information on their area and guest blogs. Please be in touch with members@wildaboutargyll.co.uk if there is valuable visitor information missing.

We work with social media influencers to showcase our outstanding region, and welcome guest blogs suggestions. If you would like a walk or area of interest featured, please reach out to members@wildaboutargyll.co.uk