Archived Sustainable Tourism Newsletters

Positive Impact - Issue 3 - Spring 1997

New observations on wildlife tourism

A review of wildlife tourism in Scotland has identified over 400 sites and businesses offering a wildlife tourism experience.

However, as well as recording existing facilities, the report, which was commissioned by the Tourism and Environment Initiative, set out to review a number of other aspects of the wildlife tourism sector. These included the effectiveness of marketing at a national and local level, and the sector's training needs. Other objectives for the study included assessing current economic development opportunities, and identifying sustainability measures and future trends.

In addition, the review incorporated a personal view of wildlife tourism in Scotland from Roy Dennis, the well known wildlife consultant and a board member of Scottish Natural Heritage and the Cairngorms Partnership.

As part of the review, over 320 of the identified sites and businesses were sent a questionnaire, and although all the responses are still to be analysed, a number of issues are already evident. These include the need for a strategy to co-ordinate future development, the need to discuss and co-ordinate appropriate marketing, and a requirement for some form of quality assurance measures based on an agreed Code of Practice.

In his personal view Roy Dennis states : "In my view, wildlife tourism is very important for the economic future of rural Scotland. It has great potential for growth and improvement without endangering the wildlife itself, and for helping to anchor the rural population. Within our country we have wildlife and scenery of international significance, often undervalued by ourselves. There is considerable need for a better understanding of the market and of the needs for effective training and promotion."

When it is complete, the full review will be discussed by an Expert Group assembled to advise the project. This group will also discuss the best possible uses of the considerable database information that has been gathered through the project.

Initiative celebrates Tourism for Tomorrow award

The Scottish Tourism and Environment Initiative has received international recognition in the form of a prestigious British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Award.

Project Manger, Duncan Bryden, received the award - a Highly Commended award for the United Kingdom region - at a ceremony in London on February 27th 1997. The initiative was one of several winners worldwide recognised in the five regional categories.

The awards are now in their 7th year and are run in conjunction with Thames Television. A spokesman for British Airways said that 'selection for an award is a considerable achievement'. He continued : "The overall standard of this year's competition was the best yet and the judges have commented on the very high quality of the entries."

Laying The Foundations

In this issue of 'Positive Impact' we take a brief look at three very different proposals for new developments in south-east Scotland - in North Berwick, Dunbar and Eyemouth - which serve to highlight a potential boom for wildlife-related tourism in Scotland. In each instance, the people behind these independent projects are currently striving to finalise funding packages, and each proposal enjoys a wide base of relevant agency and local community support.

Beneath the Waves

Beneath the Waves is the name of the proposed £4.2 million Marine Environment Centre based in Eyemouth. The idea for this centre was born out of the work of the St Abbs and Eyemouth Voluntary Marine Reserve, a group of voluntary and statutory bodies set up over 10 years ago.

Fundraising and detailed design work for the project is now well underway, and it is expected that this highly imaginative project, which will offer a hi-tech insight into the aesthetic, cultural, ecological and commercial aspects of the seas, will rapidly become the largest attraction in the Borders with over 125,000 visitors a year.

The Project Leader is Dr Alastair Sommerville, a Director of the Eyemouth Marine Centre Trust and Head of Conservation at the Scottish Wildlife Trust. A Steering Group, which is run by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and includes key people from Scottish Borders Enterprise, will soon appoint both a Fundraiser and a Project Manager. An application for funding has already been made to the Millennium Commission.

Dr Sommerville said : "Beneath the Waves' is an ambitious project which has proved its robustness over the years. Something has to be done to raise public awareness of the seas and an operation of this scale gives Scotland a one off chance to show just how well we can get our conservation message across to every grandparent and child, woman and man, scientist and novice, hi-tech freak and romantic. It's a great story for a great centre."

The life and work of John Muir

It may have a romantic name - the working title is 'Wild Rocks, Sea and Sky' - but the John Muir Project is a rational, well-conceived proposal which aims to provide a major new educational and entertainment resource for the people of Dunbar, Lothian and further afield.

Detailed proposals for the £2 million project are being finalised prior to a final funding decision by the Millennium Commission. The project is supported by Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise Limited, East Lothian Council, Scottish Natural Heritage and Dunbar's John Muir Association

At the heart of the project is an environmentally-friendly visitor centre comprising a powerful and innovative exhibition on the life and work of John Muir, the internationally renowned conservationist. Other proposed attractions include a stunning large screen film on the world's wilderness area's, and an 'Innovations Room 'which will be complete with computer archives and online facilities. Also, as part of the project, it is intended that there will be a series of major environmental improvements, both to Dunbar's clifftop trail and at the adjacent harbour.

It is expected that development of the project will commence in 1997 with a view towards completion by 1999, the 150th anniversary of John Muir's departure from Dunbar for America, where his life-time's work established him as the pioneer of nature conservation.

Bass Rock on live TV

The Bass rock lies three miles off the East Lothian coast and is home to over 100,000 seabirds in mid summer. Its most famous resident, comprising more than 10% of the world population , is the North Atlantic Gannet, Sula bassana - the species name honouring this spectacular Gannet colony.

Now there are well advanced plans to create a state-of-the-art visitor centre at North Brewick Harbour - to be known as the Scottish Seabird Centre. The centre will use remote controlled cameras sited on the Rock to beam back live video pictures of the seabirds. In addition to providing a new tourist and educational resource, the centre would also link up with other bird observatories in the UK and Europe using the Internet.

A local consortium has been formed to establish the £2.3million pound centre and has applied to the Millenium Commission and the European LIFE programme for support funding of 50%. Match funding of £850,000 has already been pledged and a public appeal for £350,000 is expected to be launched in 1997 to close the funding circle.

The project was originally conceived in 1992 by Bill Gardner, a local businessman and amateur bird watcher and photographer. Well supported by Scottish Natural Heritage, the local tourist board, the local authority in East Lothian, Lothian and Edinburgh Enterprise, RSPB and the owners of the Bass Rock the Dalrymple family, the project is now in the final stages of assessment by the Millenium Commission with a decision expected in March 1997.

Step by Step II

Following the positive response to 'Step by Step', the Scottish Tourist Board's introduction to producing a local walks leaflet, the STB is soon to publish a comprehensive guide for anyone interested in promoting local cycle routes.

'Step by Step II' has been produced for the STB by the Cyclists' Tourist Club and Sustrans, the civil engineering charity which designs and builds routes for cyclists, walkers and people with disabilities. The guide, which will be published in April 1997, will contain examples of local partnerships which have already produced leaflets to promote some of the great cycle routes in Scotland. It is expected that the guide will be of practical value to many different organisations including local authorities, estate managers and cycle hire businesses.

The guide, which will cost £10.00, will be available from the Scottish Tourist Board, Thistle House, Beechwood Park North, Inverness, IV2 3ED.

A warm welcome for cyclists and walkers

The Scottish Tourist Board is currently finalising plans for two new accommodation grading schemes - a Walkers Welcome Scheme and a Cyclists Welcome Scheme.

Membership of either or both schemes will be open to accommodation providers who meet a number of criteria and who are members of the STB grading and Classification Scheme. The criteria set out basic requirements such as providing a separate space for drying wet clothes and being able to offer early breakfasts, packed lunches and late evening meals. Other criteria include making available information on local public transport and the daily weather forecast.

A similar scheme has been run successfully in the Borders for the past two years, but to draft a national scheme, the STB worked with the Mountaineering Council of Scotland, the Ramblers Association Scotland, the Cyclists' Touring Club and the Scottish Cyclists' Union to ensure that it met all the very specific needs of walkers and cyclists in their holiday accommodation.

For further information on both schemes, and for a list of the walking and cycling literature available from tourist information centres, please send an SAE to : Planning and Development Division, Scottish Tourist Board, Thistle House, Beechwood Park North, Inverness, IV2 3ED.

Looking back on LIFE

The end of March 1997 brings the conclusion of the 3-year Highland LIFE project 'Promoting Sustainable Development in a Rural Economy'.

The LIFE programme is a EU initiative which provides funding to promote implementation of the Fifth Environmental Action Programme. The Highland LIFE project was one of only two successful applications from Scotland and has been led by Highland Regional Council in partnership with Highlands & Islands Enterprise, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Forestry Commission. The LIFE Project Officer, George Campbell, has been responsible for the day to day management of the programme.

During the past three years, the programme has supported a total of 36 pilot or demonstration projects in the areas of sustainable land use and sustainable tourism. In addition, a considerable amount of information derived from these projects has been disseminated to a wider audience. This has involved the production of a LIFE video and support for the production of various handbooks and codes of practice, as well as individual project leaflets, project reports and monitoring reports. The LIFE Project has also hosted a number of seminars and conferences.

Examples of the numerous LIFE-assisted projects in the tourism sector include a new visitor management system and site interpretation in Glen Affric, measures to minimise visitor impact at the Inchnadamph Bone Caves, the development of a marine mammal interpretation centre at North Kessock, the ecological restoration of the Portree Mill Pond, and a major interpretation and marketing project for the Dunnet Bay area.

Code aims to protect wildlife

A code of practice for businesses involved in wildlife tourism is currently being prepared by Scottish Natural Heritage in discussion with operators and other agencies.

The proposed national code has its roots in a code of practice developed by the Minch Project in 1996 following consultation with west coast wildlife tourism operators. It is recognised that any national code would need to provide broad guidance above local considerations and apply to a wide range of activities from watching whales from boats through to walks in fragile plant communities and fossil hunting.

It is anticipated that the sort of advice to be included in the code would cover such things as minimising disturbance by using long distance viewing facilities; keeping vehicles on a road or established track; providing suitable interpretation of the wildlife encountered; and avoiding befriending young or vulnerable wildlife.

The draft guidelines will be presented to the Tourism and Environment Task Force in the near future, but SNH would still welcome any thoughts from operators on the need for a code of practice and what guidelines it should contain. Please forward your opinions to Arthur Keller at Scottish Natural Heritage, 12 Hope Terrace, Edinburgh EH9 2AS.