Forest Holidays unveils new £22million Glentress sustainable tourism offering
Minister for Business, Richard Lochhead, visited Forest Holidays latest, sustainable tourism location in the heart of the Tweed Valley.
Glentress Forest is number 13 in a successful line of sensitively created cabin locations across the UK and builds on Forest Holiday’s 50-year heritage within Scotland.
Work began on the £22million development in 2023 and the collection of 56 nature sensitive cabins will ready to welcome guests from 1 November.
Wider benefits for Tweed Valley and the Scottish Borders
- As more and more consumers look for sustainable ways to enjoy space in nature, the Glentress Forest location, which is surrounded by world-class biking trails and 3,800 acres of forest, is expected to draw 20,000 new visitors to the area each year.
- The investment in the forest will boost sustainable, local economic growth by generating income for local businesses and creating new jobs.
- It is estimated that visitor spend in the area will provide a boost of £2 million per year to the local economy and generate new employment opportunities.
- 50 FTE jobs were created during the works and 25.5 FTE new jobs will be on-site once the location opens to guests in November.
Who is behind the new development?
Forest Holidays has a long history of creating cabin locations which are carefully integrated into the landscape and designed to offer a unique, immersive experience within the forest.
Nature is central to their business, guiding everything from the design and build of their cabin locations to the long-term positive ecological outcomes of the forests where they are based.
Forest Holidays is committed to supporting nature and providing lasting benefits for the forests it serves and has recently been certified as a B-Corp, in recognition of their significant and long-term contribution to the UK’s forests and wildlife.
The creation of the new Forest Holidays location has been supported by South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE), who provided £2.6million towards the project, which is part of Forestry and Land Scotland’s (FLS) award-winning Glentress Masterplan to create a world-class visitor experience in the Tweed Valley.
Business Minister Richard Lochhead said:
“I am heartened by Forest Holidays’ commitment to sustainable tourism and congratulate them for their dedicated hard work as they near opening.
“This is a perfect example of business and economic agency partners working hand in hand to create something which will be of huge benefit to the local community, generating jobs and boosting economic growth.
“I hope that Forest Holidays’ new site on the Glentress facility becomes a key destination in the Borders, popular with visitors from close by and further afield.”
Russel Griggs OBE, Chair of South of Scotland Enterprise, added:
“We are delighted to welcome Forest Holidays’ new eco-tourism development to the South of Scotland, in the heart of Scotland's Natural Capital Innovation Zone.
"Forest Holidays have made a significant investment to bring a major visitor destination to our region, providing a wide range of benefits for the Scottish Borders.
"The Forest Holidays development will also play a key role in the Glentress Masterplan, which is reinvigorating the Tweed Valley.”
John Dougan, Forestry and Land Scotland’s East Region Manager said:
“This is another element to the step-change transformation of Glentress and it’s great to see another successful partnership with Forest Holidays come to fruition. Glentress is a great addition to their Scottish holiday cabin locations.”
Andrew Brook, Director of Sustainable Growth at Forest Holidays, added:
“The imminent opening is a culmination of months of hard work and years of planning. As we prepare to open in the Scottish Borders, we’re proud to be bringing a new sustainable tourism offering to the area, attracting new visitors to the forest, and enhancing Glentress’ already impressive facilities.”