A few years ago, the Highlands and Islands was often seen as a dying area. Its declining population was slowly draining the lifeblood from the region’s economy and the future was bleak. Fast forward to today and parts of the area are booming and Willy Roe, chairman of Highland and Islands Enterprise (HIE), believes that there are even greater opportunities ahead.

“People think that the population of the Highlands and Islands is declining. That’s wrong,” Roe says. “If the population in Scotland as a whole had mirrored the growth of the Highlands and Islands, Scotland would be a country of six million people, not five.”

Roe describes his approach in developing and promoting the Highlands economy as “GDP [gross domestic product] plus.” He and his colleagues are seeking to develop the economy as well as highlighting it as “undoubtedly the UK’s best region for quality of life”.

He says: “It is a combination of a consistently good place to do business, combined with the best quality of life that you can get.”

Sectors like the creative side of information technology will be a real win for the Highlands for younger people attracted there by the leisure opportunities in the area.

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