New flights route between Inverness and Zurich

The Scottish government has welcomed the new service

A new charter flight is to connect Inverness with Zurich from next year.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) have provided funding for flights to run for three years.

Holiday company Falcontravel/MTCH-AG will run the service once a week from May to September.

HIAL said a 100-seater aircraft would make the flights on Saturdays with a capacity of bringing up to 2,000 visitors a year to the area.

The service has been welcomed by the Scottish government, which owns HIAL.

First Minister Alex Salmond said: "This is great news for the Highlands and Islands which can provide a welcome boost to leisure, tourism, retail and other sectors across the regions.

"The Scottish Highlands and Islands have much to offer the world, and will provide a warm welcome to visitors from Switzerland."

Inglis Lyon, managing director of HIAL, added: "It is a new and exciting development for the portfolio of routes coming into Inverness during the summer months and we are looking forward to welcoming all our new Swiss customers to the Highlands and Islands."