A RANGE of training courses is being offered to rural accommodation providers throughout the North-East.

Created specifically for working farms that have diversified into tourism, they aim to help improve their online marketing, customer service and quality assurance.

Housekeeping, cooking and social media are just some of the courses, and one-to-one quality assurance visits are available for those looking to become graded and classified.

Farmstay UK has received £8,000 funding from Land- Skills North-East to run the courses next month and in March.

Elizabeth Courage, of Rye Hill Farm, near Slaley, in Northumberland, is the regional director of Farm Stay UK.

She said: “It is really important that Farm Stay members and rural accommodation providers ensure that they are offering their visitors a truly unique, highquality and memorable holiday experience so that they will keep returning to the countryside.

“These courses will ensure that we are at the cutting edge of the latest developments in the world of technology and are ahead of the game in terms of business management and what we offer.”

The courses take place in a variety of locations, with places allocated on a firstcome, first-served basis.

For further details or to register, contact Barbara Huddart, project manager, on 01668-283044 or info@ glendalepr.co.uk