The Scottish Secretary said he was “very encouraged” by the positive approach businesses in the north have taken to prepare for Brexit.
David Mundell was speaking while on a whistle-stop tour to meet with business leaders at a series of meetings in Inverness, Elgin and Aberdeen.
Talks are being held with food and drink producers as well as the local tourism industry to discuss post-Brexit Britain.
He will also be taking a tour of Aberlour Distillery and Walkers Shortbread factory as part of his visit.
Mr Mundell said businesses were all interested in how to tap into the benefits of leaving the EU.
He said: “What I am heartened by is that, whatever their views of Brexit, they want to take advantage of the opportunity.
“As the chief executive of the Chamber of Commerce says, they are taking a glass half-full approach.
Mr Mundell said concerns had been raised about the future of workers who had travelled abroad to work in Scotland from other countries.
He said: “Obviously here in the Highlands there are issues with the availability of migrant workers.
“That is why we say that any EU worker here at the end of 2020 will be able to stay – anybody who is in the country can remain.”
The Conservative MP said that more work could be done to promote Highland attractions to tourists visiting the country.
Booming tourism has recently boosted visitor numbers in the north taking in the sights of the new driving route across the Highlands.
Mr Mundell said: “I have just met the manager of Dunrobin (Castle). We were talking about a rail equivalent of the NC500 – Dunrobin of course has train stop.
“The railway there is set in fantastic scenery and perhaps more could be made of it by marketing it better, a bettering offering of carriages.”
Earlier in the day the Secretary of State met representatives from the Scottish Salmon Producer’s Organisation, Scottish Retail Consortium and the Scotch Whisky Association.
Disccusions were held on food labelling to allow “seamless trade” between Scotland and the rest of the UK.