90 jobs to be created by Inverness Castle Experience when it opens
Up to 90 jobs are expected to be created at Inverness Castle when it opens its doors to visitors next year, it has emerged.
The newly-appointed head of the Inverness Castle Experience, Garry Marsden, confirmed the number during an update on progress on the site - which is currently being transformed ahead of its projected opening in the middle of 2025.
Recruitment for some of those new roles is expected to begin in the new year, with Mr Marsden predicting that certain posts will begin being filled by as early as January.
And although he did not have figures to hand for the number of spin-off jobs that might be generated within the wider hospitality sector off the back of the castle reopening, its importance as a landmark destination is nevertheless expected to create numerous additional jobs within the Highlands.
Speaking to the Inverness Courier, Mr Marsden said he expected the castle’s economic benefit to the Highlands will be “sizeable”, adding that excitement is already building as the long castle construction work enters its final few months.
He said that the Castle Experience had been working alongside VisitScotland to get the word out about the city’s newest tourist attraction at a national and even international level.
“We've got a whole raft of potential groups [we’re talking to]. We're already out there at various expos in this country and also abroad talking to potential customers, making people aware of what the experience will be like,” he said. “And obviously a very important part of the work is making sure we attract those different markets to Inverness, to this experience, and beyond, to the Highlands.”
He also believes the castle will be a great facility not just for visitors but for locals as well, serving as a true “beacon” for the city.
“The great thing is it's going to be an experience not only just for visitors but very much for people who live in Inverness, live in the Highlands,” he explained. “Somebody described it earlier as a beacon, and I think that's a great word, it will be a literal beacon but it will also be a place for people to meet, to gather, which is exactly what it should be, as well as a national and international visitor experience.”
He added that there’s “a lot of excitement” around the project: “This is going to be an experience. It's going to be very different, I guess, from what people would often think of as a classic castle visit, which is more probably heritage and historically based. Whereas this is contemporary and it's about stories of the Highlands, and the way in which that's interpreted, modern, and exciting and fresh, and I think people will really like that.”
Vicki Miller, VisitScotland’s chief executive officer, was in Inverness to see how the project is progressing and said she had been “blown away” by what she had seen.
She said VisitScotland had been working hard to promote the castle as a destination to national and international travel bodies, and added that she was also excited about the potential for the site.
“Today I attended the proect delivery meeting and we got a fantastic presentation on the project itself,” she said. “In particular the interior fit out and retail experience. I have to say I was blown away. It truly will be a unique experience.
“I don't think [it’s] a castle experience like any other. Scotland has a lot of castles and this one will be very different. And I think what really stood out for me is that it will tell the story of the Highlands, of place and community, culture and heritage and really celebrate the best of the Highlands, which is phenomenal.”
She added that it will be a true beacon for the community as well as visitors.
