Dunvegan Castle & Gardens – a world class heritage attraction on the Isle of Skye – has won Scottish Land & Estate’s Helping it Happen Tourism Award 2018.

The award comes at the end of another successful season for the estate – a Highland fortress that has seen a rolling programme of major capital investment in recent years, totalling £3.6 million since 2008. This has enhanced the visitor experience in all areas, an effort recognised by Visit Scotland’s 5* quality assurance award in 2016.

Hugh MacLeod, Estate Director, says: “I would like to thank the judges of the Scottish Land & Estates Helping it Happen Awards. I am delighted to accept this tourism award on behalf of the fantastic MacLeod Estate team who work so hard behind the scenes to give visitors our trademark warm Highland welcome.

"I would like to dedicate this award to my late father who had the vision to see that in order to hold fast in the modern world, Dunvegan had to adapt from being a medieval fortress designed to keep people out to a place focused on welcoming people in. Since those early make or break days in the 1960s, our dedicated team have extended a warm Highland welcome to millions of visitors, which has had the beneficial ripple effect of underpinning many Skye businesses that rely on the crucial visitor spend that that generates.

"This award will help us to hold fast to our goal of preserving, developing and sharing the unique heritage of Dunvegan Castle and the MacLeod Estate for future generations to enjoy.” For more information, visit www.dunvegancastle.com

Pictured at the Helping It Happen Awards in Edinburgh are (L-R): Tim Baynes from Gift of Grouse, Hugh MacLeod from Dunvegan Castle & Gardens, George McNeill and David Johnstone from Scottish Land & Estates.