A MULTI-MILLION pound Tweed Valley tourism development is set to draw thousands of visitors to the region each year.

The project to build 56 environmentally-sensitive cabins near Peebles is part of the Glentress Masterplan, which aims to reinvigorate the area.

The £18 million development will bring a host of “significant benefits” to the Borders, including boosting visitor numbers by 20,000 per year and creating more than 70 jobs.

Forest Holidays has started groundwork at the Glentress Forest site, which is expected to be open for the winter 2024 season.

Small business, innovation and trade minister Richard Lochhead said: “Tourism is one of Scotland’s most important industries and Forest Holidays’ new eco-tourism development is projected to draw thousands of new visitors to the Scottish Borders as part of the Glentress Masterplan.

“In addition to increasing tourism and the potential for overnight stays, this development will create new jobs and economic opportunities for the surrounding communities.”

The attraction is expected to generate £2 million for the local economy annually.

Forest Holidays’ plans have been backed by South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE), which has provided £2.6 million towards the project.

Representatives from the company, SOSE and Forestry and Land Scotland met with Mr Lochhead this week to mark the investment in the Glentress development.

Professor Russel Griggs, chair of SOSE, said: “The Glentress Masterplan aims to help reinvigorate the Tweed Valley and the south of Scotland more widely as a major visitor destination and investments such as Forest Holidays are a major step to supporting this aim.

“The eco-tourism development will play a key role in developing Glentress’ already impressive facilities – which will go on show to the world this summer as part of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.”

The masterplan sets out a vision for Glentress to be a ‘well-integrated, multi-user destination that offers a world-class visitor experience’.

Andrew Brook, director of sustainable growth at Forest Holidays, said: “We are proud to play a part in creating a sustainable tourism destination in the Scottish Borders.

“Our environmentally-sensitive cabin location will provide space in nature for people to stay overnight in a well-managed, ecologically diverse, and quiet forest environment, which in turn will support the forest for years to come.”