York visitor attraction group to transform “iconic” Loch Ness with £1.5m investment

York based visitor attraction group, Continuum Attractions, is taking over one of Scotland’s most famous visitor attractions, The Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition, near Inverness, investing £1.5m into its refurbishment and reopening in Spring 2023.

Continuum, owners of attractions across the UK and with a 20-year heritage in Scotland, is taking a long lease of the “iconic” Highland tourism site with immediate plans to upgrade its guest offering.

The transformation seeks to “engage, entertain and inform guests”, focusing on telling the globally renowned story behind the legend of Loch Ness, exploring the myths, alongside the scientific research, that has turned Nessie into one of Scotland’s most famous brand icons.

The major refurbishment of the visitor experience will take 12 weeks to complete with a newly named The Loch Ness Centre reopening in Spring 2023. Continuum’s investment in a new five-star attraction intends to “further unlock the mysteries and history of the world-famous destination” and its many year round activities and attractions.

Juliana Delaney, chief executive of Continuum Attractions, commented: “Continuum tells the real stories in real places about real people. The search for Nessie encapsulates all three. Having had tremendous success with the award-winning Real Mary King’s Close on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, I was keen to seek out another great Scottish story to tell.

“We found it on Loch Ness. This is a magical place - it could be our Jurassic Park, and if a monster hasn’t been found here yet, this is the place in which it will be discovered! So I will encourage everyone to ‘keep looking’.”

Chris Taylor, VisitScotland regional leadership director, added: “Loch Ness is renowned the world over for its most elusive resident, Nessie, and indeed the Loch Ness Centre and Exhibition has and will continue to attract visitors from around the world each year.

“In Scotland’s Year of Stories, it is great to hear that this investment will mean that even more people will have the chance to learn all about Nessie – the subject of so many myths, tales and stories over the years.

“Tourism is a force for good. It creates jobs, sustains communities and contributes significantly to the economy. The impact of tourism spreads far beyond the industry itself - it benefits our economy, our community and our wellbeing.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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