EFFORTS to promote the Forth Valley area as an accessible visitor destination is now up and running.

The Forth Valley Accessibility Tourism Promotion initiative, which brings together four geographic areas across Scotland to target the Accessible Tourism market, was launched last week after receiving £19,800 from the VisitScotland Growth Fund award.

Led by Falkirk Delivers, in collaboration with Discover Clackmannanshire and Falkirk and Stirling Councils, the campaign will create a suite of downloadable and print itineraries as well as three films highlighting the full range of accessible attractions and accommodation providers in the area.

The itineraries will be tailored for visitors with autism, dementia and mobility issues and will cover three themes – family fun, heritage and outdoor activity.

The films and itineraries will be promoted via digital channels to people in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Northern England.

Steven Campbell, chair of Discover Clackmannanshire, said: "We look forward to working with our Forth Valley partners on this forthcoming marketing campaign.

"Although a relatively undiscovered part of Scotland, Clackmannanshire offers many hidden gems to visitors of Scotland including the Japanese Gardens, tower trail and excellent walking and cycling routes.

"Discover Clackmannanshire is working with their tourism partners for a truly inclusive tourism experience."

The campaign has also received support from the Changing Places Working Group and Euan's Guide – a resourced which is used by thousands of disabled people to review, share and discover accessible places to go.

There is currently limited accessibility information on the individual business and destination platforms of the areas involved in the campaign meaning visitors with access requirements struggle to plan their visits to the Forth Valley.

Research found that 54 per cent of visitors with access requirements would avoid a venue if they could not find information on accessibility.

Therefore, it is hoped this project will encourage the partners and local businesses to complete a VisitScotland Accessibility Guide and also list themselves on Euan's Guide.

Marina Di Duca, inclusive tourism manager at VisitScotland, said: "It is our aim to make tourism inclusive and accessible for all, so that every single person can benefit from all that Scotland has to offer.

"I'm very pleased that four areas of the Forth Valley have come together to showcase their accessible offering."

One in five people in the UK is disabled, which includes not only wheelchair users, but also people with hearing loss, visual impairments and learning and development disabilities.

In 2015, £1.3billion was spent in Scotland on trips where a member of the party had an impairment. This includes day trips, domestic overnight trips and inbound trips.

The VisitScotland Growth Fund supports collaborative tourism marketing projects which focus on growth and ensure that visitors experience the best of Scotland.

To be eligible for a Growth Fund award, applicants must place a strong emphasis on digital marketing and the creation of digital content assets.