1 March, 2007

SHETLAND marinas are making a bid to raise their international profile by attending the Stockholm boat show.

Promotional teams from Shetland and Orkney will attend the Stockholm International Boat Show to sell the islands as a holiday destination for yachtsmen from Sweden.

Shetland is currently upgrading the visitor facilities at its marinas and will be promoting the isles as a place that Scandinavians can explore their shared cultural and historical links with the isles.

Orkney and Shetland's proximity to the Scottish mainland, making them a stopping off place for tourists, will also form part of the advertising.

This is the first time that Shetland and Orkney contingents have attended the show.

Shetland Islands Council culture spokesman Eddie Knight said: "We are looking forward to establishing interest levels and marketing our excellent facilities to this Nordic country.

"There are some very strong historical links between Shetland and Sweden, such as fishing links with Unst, and it would be nice to enhance our links with Sweden through boating holidays.

"We will also be taking the opportunity to explore the further development of racing links for interested parties to become involved in our summer races such as the Bergen-Shetland race in June."

A successful joint campaign by Shetland and Orkney at the London Boat Show in January generated more than 350 enquiries about the islands as a holiday destination.

The Stockholm show is the largest of its kind in the Nordic countries. It begins on 3 March and runs until 11 March. Last year 114,000 visitors arrived and this time over 500 exhibitors are to attend and there will be more than 1000 boats on display.

In December 2006, Shetland Development Trust approved funding of £150,000 towards upgrading visitor facilities at 23 community boating sites around the isles. Work on this is due to be complete by this summer.