About the Forum

The Tourism & Environment Forum is a partnership of public and private organisations set up to promote sustainable tourism in Scotland. We recognise that the environment is the Scottish tourism industry's main asset and we are working to ensure that both tourism and the environment are well managed.

Tourism & Environment

Tourism provides a bridge between economic development and the environment. It can provide a major economic rationale for the protection and conservation of scenic and biologically valuable areas. Furthermore it can generate direct visitor pay-back into the management of these areas and their economically fragile communities. Tourism thrives on a high quality natural and built environment. When the environment deteriorates options for tourism also decline. In Scotland, tourism and the environment are both interrelated and interdependent and together provide a sustainable economic base.

Our mission is:

"to bring long term business and environmental benefits to the Scottish tourism industry through encouraging sustainable use of our world class natural and built heritage"

Some of our main achievements

• Working with businesses, establishment of 'Wild Scotland' , an association for Scottish wildlife and nature tourism operators.
• Leading the development of wildlife tourism sector, through production of market research, wildlife tourism conference and ensuring joined-up approach to range of nature-based tourism projects.
• Developed and implemented the Green Tourism Business Scheme for accommodation and visitor attractions, now one of the most successful Environmental Tourism schemes in Europe.
• Produced research and best practice on wildlife tourism, interpretive planning, marine wildlife watching, walking, cycle networks, and environmental management for tourism businesses.
• Promoted a positive environmental message through marketing, print and press/PR activities.
• Worked with the public and private sector to put environmental issues on the agenda of all the main bodies involved in tourism in Scotland.
• Initiated and supported a network of Tourism Management Programmes across Scotland and produced guidance on locally-driven sustainable tourism networks.

Who is the Tourism and Environment Forum?

Formed in 1994, chaired by Tom Brock the director of the Scottish Seabird Centre and funded by VisitScotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Enterprise and Highland and Islands Enterprise, the Tourism and Environment Forum is a multi-organisational partnership, comprising of a range of public, private and voluntary sector agencies.

The Tourism & Environment Forum is supported by:

Links to member websites can be found on our links page .

Tourism and Environment Forum Aims and Objectives

In 2000, we launched our Operational Plan which provided a framework for the Forum until 2003. Following the Operational Plan the work of the Forum was reviewed, and four main aims outlined which were designed to embed long term, fundamental business and environmental benefits at the heart of the Scottish tourism industry.

The Forum continues to add value and leadership in sustainable tourism by "joining up" the activities of other tourism organisations and bringing a degree of synergy and common priority by coordinating the overlapping responsibilities of other partners; (eg in the Forum’s Operating Plan)

1. To deliver market research and environmental capacity information to the industry.
2. Identify and assess new commercially viable product development opportunities, optimising the benefits derived through adoption of environmental best practice as a precursor to bringing to market.
3. To promote sustainable use of key national resources.
4. Encourage a collaborative and integrated approach amongst stakeholders at all levels to tourism and environmental development on a sustainable basis.

Delivery of these objectives will be through partnerships of public, private and voluntary sector businesses and organisations with collaboration from the Tourism and Environment Forum:

1. To ensure the appropriate environmental carrying capacity information systems are put in place to assist at both policy and business decision making levels.
2. Engage with lead agencies and stakeholders to influence policy and strategy at the national level and effect change proactively. Lead policy and strategy discussions that directly affect the sustainability of Scottish tourism. Directly input to policy and strategies that have an impact on sustainable tourism in Scotland.
3. Work proactively to analyse sustainable development and environmental issues that have particular relevance for tourism. Prepare reports relating to these issues and monitor public and private sector actions in response. Provide sustainable tourism expertise to the tourism industry. Support sectoral or other groups within the Forum (eg Local Authorities, LECs, NGOs, Scottish Tourism Forum) by preparing advice and information, organising briefing and shared practice seminars.
4. Lead on specific sustainable tourism projects (at the local / regional level), working with local organisations to co-ordinate their efforts in developing sustainable tourism projects that directly tackle, at the local level, issues significant at the national level so that experience and knowledge generated by these projects can be used elsewhere.
5. Work to develop better understanding of the social impacts and benefits of tourism to encourage greater involvement of local communities in tourism planning while at the same time raising awareness of the benefits and impacts of tourism on local people, businesses, landowners and managers.
6. Develop and co-ordinate networks involving players from all aspects of sustainable tourism – including large and smaller businesses and trade associations.
7. Study and learn from the experience of sustainable tourism projects outwith Scotland.
8. Act as a catalyst for sustainable commercial tourism projects and developments that would otherwise fail to materialise, acting as a facilitator between agencies and organisations with an interest in sustainable tourism. Focus on the potential created by the synergy between Forum members to tackle issues more effectively and provide leadership for both business and agencies in the area of sustainable tourism.

Measurable impacts on Scottish tourism arising from these outputs are more difficult to record and one of our challenges is to develop effective sustainable tourism indicators.

Desirable impacts will be:

• Better management of the capacity of the environment to accommodate tourism
• Improvement in the long term performance of tourism businesses
• Decision making in Scottish tourism industry taking greater account of good practice in sustainable development

Scotland has a real advantage in its green image and it is broadly accepted there is a need to move towards sustainable tourism. The Tourism & Environment Forum has a key role to play in strengthening and adding value to the relationship between the industry and the environment.

The Tourism and Environment Forum’s Operational Plan (2000-2003) can be downloaded below. Information about our future workplans will be available shortly. Do get in touch if you require further information.