Jim McAloon, SED’s Operations Director, said: “It is important that we focus investment on the assets that promise the biggest returns for our economy. That is where our real future growth potential lies.” As well as spending on growing businesses, creating a better physical environment to attract investment and improving skills, Mr McAloon said that opportunity exists to develop projects with national and international significance in Dunbartonshire.

“Destination Loch Lomond is by far the most important economic asset we have in the area.
Over the next year we will continue to build a strategy that will promote the loch and its surrounding area as one of the world’s outstanding areas of natural beauty.

“This will be combined with help for local businesses to get the biggest return from
increasing visitor numbers and providing the training people will need to take advantage
of the increasing employment opportunities this growth will bring,” he added.

One of the key attractions around the loch is the Lomond Shores development. Since the new
aquarium opened last year it has attracted an average of 500 visitors a day making it one of
developer, Merlin Entertainments, most popular UK attractions.

Progress further up the loch has also been made by the De Vere Group with their golf and
spa resort. This promises to be another important resource in establishing Loch Lomond as
an international standard tourism destination. At Balloch, the Kilmartin Property group is also outlining plans for a potential £80million hotel development on the west riverside site. It is crucial that this development of Loch Lomond’s physical environment is backed up by business innovation and effective investment in staff training and customer service if sustainable progress is to be achieved.

The Destination Loch Lomond strategy outlines a series of initiatives to improve skills and training, business creation and innovation, as well as physical investment and place promotion.