Investing in Manchester’s Rural Accommodation

Whether you are starting a tourist accommodation venture from scratch or making significant improvements to an existing accommodation business, you may be eligible to receive a grant through the Tourism Connect project to improve your quality and profitability. Funded by the Rural Development Programme for England and co-ordinated by Visit Manchester, grants are available to small and medium independent businesses in rural areas of Greater Manchester.

Grants are specifically targeted at raising interior design standards within businesses including upgrading bedrooms, bathrooms, living space, conference facilities, and landscaping. We are also encouraging expansions to current space, or the development of brand new accommodation.

The maximum grant available is £50,000 and this needs to be matched with private investment to the value of 60%. The scheme will run until March 2013 and applications can be received until late 2012. However, the money is limited and it cannot be guaranteed that there will be grants available at that stage. The application process will take a minimum of eight weeks and therefore if you are planning on doing any development work and you are interested in the possibility of receiving a grant please contact the Tourism Connect Team as soon as possible.

You may be eligible if:
·  You are in an RDPE designated rural area
·  You have less than 50 employees and are not part of a chain
·  You are planning to carry out significant improvements to your business

Your plans must aim to:
·  Raise the quality of your business to four or five star
·  Increase turnover
·  Create new jobs
·  Improve your environmental performance

See projects supported so far

Other useful information:
Tourism Connect leaflet
Funding criteria
Application guidance notes
Key accommodation standards

How to apply:
Contact the Tourism Connect team and arrange a visit to discuss your proposed project. 

Sarah Howsen, Project Manager
Email: sarah.howsen@marketingmanchester.com
Tel: 0161 238 4531