Exploring Opportunities: Churches and Tourism

Are you a community group thinking about taking ownership of your local church? Are you already managing your church for the benefit of the community? This free online event is for you.

Heritage Trust Network and Historic Churches Scotland have partnered with SCOTO to host the fifth event in our series. Aimed at any group contemplating the future of their church building, this event will focus on how church buildings can play a part in your local tourism offering.

SCOTO is a network of community tourism enterprises located throughout Scotland and led by a team of dynamic individuals who each have extensive and varied experience in community tourism. Carron Tobin and Diane Smith (SCOTO) will begin this event with a presentation looking at how communities can explore the opportunities a church building can offer within local tourism, whether the building finds a completely new use – such as accommodation, or a mixed community use – such as offering temporary exhibitions and continuing Sunday worship. The team will look at key areas to consider, including how to assess the need in the local area and how to harness tourism as a ‘force for good’.

We will then hear from a case study speaker who will share their experiences and learning in finding a new tourism offering using their local church. Followed by a presentation from Fiona Silk, who manages the Churches Conservation Trust’s Champing enterprise. We are particularly excited to explore the appetite for Champing in Scottish churches and jointly explore other innovative ideas to keep these community based buildings alive!

Questions for our speakers will be welcome at intervals throughout the event, with time for a wider audience discussion at the end.

Benefits of attending this event:

– Gain a greater understanding of how church buildings can play a part in local tourism.

– Hear from experts and people with first hand experiences of churches being used in visitor offerings.

– Gather top tips and ideas of how to assess whether this could be successful in your area.

– Hear from other communities in similar situations to your group and build new connections.