Visitor Infrastructure Improvement Fund

The Cairngorms National Park is the UK's largest and - in addition to the 18,000 people who live in the area - over two million people visit this special place each year. These visitors form the bedrock of the economy of the National Park, attracted by the landscape, culture, nature and extensive opportunities for outdoor recreation. 

Visitor Infrastructure Improvement Programme funding helps support locations across the National Park to welcome visitors, as well as addressing potential impacts of visitors on communities and popular sites.

Please note: applications have closed for the latest round of the Visitor Infrastructure Improvement Fund; however, you are welcome to fill out an expression of interest form and be notified when another suitable fund is available.

Full car park at Balmoral Castle Liam Anderstrem / Airbourne Lens

What will it fund?

The Visitor Infrastructure Improvement Fund is available to help plan and install appropriate visitor infrastructure in the National Park. Projects must deliver one or more of the following objectives: 

• Reduce potential conflicts between residents and visitors and / or between different recreational activities.
• Promote collaboration across land management and organisational boundaries.
• Help provide better opportunities for everyone to enjoy the National Park so the visitor profile is more diverse, especially with regards to people who are disabled.
• Deliver improvements at identified sites across all areas of the National Park, or improvements that address specific issues that are identified in the Strategic Tourism Infrastructure Plan or Active Cairngorms Action Plan.

You can find out more by reading the guidance notes associated with the Visitor Infrastructure Improvement Fund. 

How much is the fund worth?

The Park Authority can normally contribute up to 70% of total project costs, up to a total value not exceeding £100,000 including VAT, although in exceptional circumstances a higher intervention rate or costs may be possible.

Fund criteria

The Cairngorms National Park Authority is seeking expressions of interest for capital funding to deliver Visitor Infrastructure Improvements, which should help meet the following National Park Partnership Plan objectives: 

1. Welcome visitors and provide a high-quality experience while managing their impacts through providing better infrastructure.
2. Stabilise visitor numbers in the peak season, focusing growth on quieter months and on those areas that have the infrastructure and capacity to accommodate additional visitors.
3. Improve path, cycle and outdoor access networks to give outstanding opportunities to experience the natural and cultural heritage of the National Park to the widest range of people, while minimising disturbance to vulnerable species, habitats and sites.