Trial of new Chinese visa service

Closer links are being forged between the Highlands and China

A service issuing visas and passports to people wishing to travel to China is to be trialled in the north of Scotland.

Scottish Highlands and Islands and Moray Chinese Association (SHIMCA) will run the scheme from its office in Fairways House in Inverness.

The nearest other services are available in Edinburgh and Belfast.

Previously, there have been discussions about a direct flight between Inverness and Shenyang, north of Beijing.

Monica Lee-Macpherson, chairwoman of SHIMCA, said the new visa service would make a difference to both the Highlands and the Chinese community.

She said: "When you think about it, there is much more to this than just processing visas and passports.

"It also has additional benefits to the local economy as it will undoubtedly put Inverness on the map whilst promoting our vast Highland tourism, trade and industry to over one billion people on the other side of the world."

Earlier this year, tourism body Highlands Loch Ness sent a party to a major tourist event in the city of Shenyang in the wake of the Beijing Olympics.

They said they were delighted with the reaction they got at top-level meetings and have since been investigating the possibility of international flights to tap into a market of "huge potential".