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Ross McAuley, A travel and tourism specialist who led destination management initiatives in the Middle East has returned home to lead the south of Scotland’s plans to aid the region’s economic recovery from the effects of Covid-19.

Mr McAuley (pictured) has been named the first general manager of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance (SSDA), the organization that now brings together Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders as one destination.

He will advance the SSDA’s development plans, which include increasing tourism spending in the region to £ 1 billion by 2030 and creating 6,500 jobs.

The appointment comes as the SDDA also unveils the next phase of Scotland Starts Here, its target marketing campaign and information center.

Mr. McAuley has many years of experience in destination management and tourism. Prior to that, he led groundbreaking global tourism initiatives in the Middle East, including nine years at luxury hotel brand Jumeirah Group, followed by building a global travel and tourism advisory business.

He said: “The South is the hidden gem of Scotland, overlooked as a travel destination in the past, but with a proud history, breathtaking scenery, great people and tremendous potential to engage and inspire.

“By bringing Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders together, we are creating a new destination on the scale to bring tourism spending to local communities and that really appeals to me.”

David Ibbotson, Chairman of the SSDA, said: “The South has always been the bad rapport with other regions in terms of notoriety and visitor numbers, but now we can’t wait to show Scotland and the world the magical region that we have before ours Have front door. ”