Businesses on the Borders Railway route will benefit from a new action group to boost tourism in the area.

Midlothian and Borders Tourism Action Group (MBTAG) has earmarked £350,000 to capitalise on the popularity of the line.

The two-year project has been given £200,000 from Scottish Enterprise's tourism destination development fund and £150,000 from the Borders Railway Blueprint Group.

Tourism in the area is estimated to generate around £314m a year.

The group is keen to improve that figure by 2020 with various initiatives including a project to develop visitor trails on the route.

Giles Ingram, MBTAG chairman and chief executive of Abbotsford House, said: "The launch of the new action group is very positive news for both existing businesses in the Scottish Borders and Midlothian, and potential tourism enterprises.

"Through close collaboration with the business communities outside of the railway corridor, we hope to further increase their offering to the growing tourist population that the areas now command."