The Hinkley Tourism Action Partnership (HTAP) has opened a grant scheme - Tourism Innovation Grant Scheme - aimed at boosting tourism in the Sedgemoor and West Somerset areas.

The new grant scheme is specifically designed to support small to medium sized businesses to provide a greater range of visitor products and experiences.

Grants between £5,000 and £10,000 will be made available to businesses and organisations operating in the tourism, hospitality and events sector.

Businesses who apply are encouraged to ideas which improve the tourism offer the local economy and promote a 'greener' visitor experience if possible.

Qualifying projects may fall into one or more of the following categories:

• Higher-spend customer markets
• Genuinely new service provision
• Shoulder season visitor opportunities
• New networks or partnerships that consolidate activity into a package that enhances the visitor experience

Applicants are required to match-fund a minimum 10% of the awarded grant and the scheme closes on 12 September or until all funding is allocated.

Any small business partnerships or networks looking to apply should visit Hinkley tourism partnership webpage.

Photo: Craig Hooper