Highland Explorer Tours Wins Arival Spotlight Awards 2025

Highland Explorer Tours is honoured to have received the Arival Spotlight Award for Community Engagement & Social Purpose 2025. This recognition reflects years of work developing Make Travel Matter® Experiences such as the Isle of Skye Volunteer Adventure, aiming to support local communities, foster meaningful connections between guests and destinations, and promote responsible tourism practices. While it is a proud moment for our team, the achievement is shared with the partners, communities, and guests who make these experiences possible.

The Arival Spotlight Awards recognise tourism experiences that demonstrate social purpose, community engagement, and responsible practices. The awards are judged by industry peers and experts, and focus on projects that create meaningful, measurable impact. Being selected for the Community Engagement & Social Purpose Award is an acknowledgment of the efforts made by our team, our guests, and the local communities we work with.

Highland Explorer Tours received this recognition for our 5-Day Isle of Skye Volunteer Adventure, launched in October 2022. The tour was designed to give back to the Isle of Skye, a destination that has seen both the benefits and pressures of tourism. By combining sightseeing with hands-on participation at Tormore Community Woodland, guests help support conservation, accessibility, and local engagement in a small-group, immersive setting. 

The experience includes volunteering alongside local residents, learning about Gaelic language and culture at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, and visiting community-run sites like Armadale Stores Shop and local attractions like Torabhaig Distillery. By running trips in shoulder seasons, the tour also contributes to the local economy beyond peak tourism periods. 

Guest feedback demonstrates the tour’s impact. As of 2025, 88% of passengers left reviews, all of which were five-star. Many highlighted the value of contributing meaningfully to the community, connecting with local guides and residents, and experiencing Skye in a way that goes beyond traditional tourism. “I returned home feeling inspired, renewed, and grateful for the beautiful connections I made. Highly recommended! If you're looking for a unique, enriching experience that combines community service, cultural immersion, and personal growth, look no further.” (Tripadvisor Review, March 2025)

Judges recognised the tour for its balance of visitor experience and community contribution. Key points included: 

• Our guests’ hands-on involvement that supports Tormore Community Woodland, including tree planting, path maintenance, and invasive species management. 
• Opportunities for guests to engage with local culture, language, and traditions. 
• The tour’s role in supporting local businesses and promoting sustainable tourism practices during quieter periods. 
• The strength of repeat engagement from guests, demonstrating the meaningful connections formed through the tour experience. 

The award reflects the collective effort of many, particularly our local partners and community organisations. Collaborations with Sleat Community Trust, HAGGiS Adventures, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, The Skye Inn, and others have been essential to delivering a tour that is both culturally enriching and community-focused. 

Duncan MacInnes, Trustee of the Sleat Community Trust, highlights how our tour guests’ involvement benefits the project and the community around it: “The visiting volunteers break barriers in developing new areas of the Tormore woodland, by working in new planting areas and opening up footpaths. This extends the infrastructure of Tormore Woodland for the benefit of all [and] provides the community with a tremendous boost to what it is trying to achieve.” (Interview with Duncan from April 2025)

Morning volunteering sessions are complemented by cultural and sightseeing experiences, giving guests insight into Gaelic language, local cuisine, and the rhythms of community life on Skye. The work done together with partners ensures the tour supports local resilience while creating a genuine connection between visitors and place. 

Receiving this award is not an endpoint for us. It is a prompt to continue learning and refining our approach to sustainable tourism. Guides like Fraser Duff reflect on the ongoing responsibility of balancing tourism’s impact with community wellbeing:  "Having led this tour on more than one occasion, it has made me strive to do more as a guide and as a business to help balance the effects tourism can have on the local communities we visit." 

Looking ahead, we aim to build on the success of the 5-Day Isle of Skye Volunteer Adventure, expanding Make Travel Matter® opportunities for community engagement, cultural exchange, and environmental impact. This recognition is shared and belongs equally to our partners, guests, and the communities of Skye who welcome and support these efforts.