The VisitScotland Challenge Fund is a project part-financed by the European Union, designed to encourage innovative and collaborative marketing activity that attracts more visitors to Scotland and makes it easier for them to book their visit.

Since its launch in November 2004, the VisitScotland Challenge Fund has approved over 100 successful applications and awarded almost £1.35 million to groups across Scotland. This has involved working with over 3,000 tourism businesses in tourism groups.

VisitScotland is currently in the process of reviewing Challenge Fund, taking account of feedback and comments from previous applicants and awardees. With european funding secured until December 2007 this is an appropriate time to review the current fund and explore the concept of developing a fund to stimulate growth to assist the tourism industry reach the ambitious 50% growth target by 2015.

VisitScotland are currently working with a view to launching the new fund in early 2008.