Lochaber Chamber of Commerce was pleased to host the West Coast Vision Conference in partnership with HIE in Portree today, Tuesday March 19.
Held at the Isle of Skye Candle Company Visitor Centre, it brought around 80 businesses and organisations together from across Skye, Lochaber and the wider West Coast to discuss strategies to capitalise on a range of economic growth opportunities, as well as issues such as the importance of culture.
Collaboration and co-operation was high on the agenda, and there was certainly lots of great connections being forged in the informal networking sessions.
As Alastair Nicolson, HIE area manager for Lochaber, Skye and Wester Ross says: “With sustained investment and by working together, we can and will realise new opportunities, attract new talent and investors, and enhance the contribution the West Highlands makes to Scotland’s economy.”
The keynote speakers included leading economist Graeme Roy, political expert Catherine MacLeod, business leader Alasdair Ferguson, and cultural advocate Maggie Cunningham.
They engaged the audience on a range of subjects affecting the West Coast, including the influence of global economics, collaborating to maximise local opportunities, cultural identity and the importance of communicating with the UK as well as Scottish Government.
The audience were key in setting the agenda as they were able to ask their questions and take part in live polls using an interactive smartphone app.
This conference was the first step in shaping the future of the west coast economy and everyone is invited to find out more about developments in the area by visiting the website of Highlands and Islands Enterprise at www.hie.co.uk
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