Transcript Document

Scottish Natural Heritage
Nature Based Tourism
OHTIA meetings
15th / 16th February 2011
Becky Shaw
SNH Rural Development Team
Scottish Natural Heritage
SNH and tourism: why are we engaged
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Nature based tourism is worth nearly 40%
of all tourism spending in Scotland
Worth £1.4 billion per year
•
39000 FTE jobs are reliant on Scotland’s
nature based tourism
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Viewing wildlife is the main driver behind
over one million trips to Scotland every
year
•
As direct providers of nature based
tourism, through National Nature Reserves
– 50 across the country, attracting around
1 million visitors a year.
Scottish Natural Heritage
Definition
• An overnight stay that
is related wholly or
partly to Scotland’s
natural heritage – it’s
wildlife, habitats,
landscapes and
natural beauty.
Scottish Natural Heritage
The nature based tourism market
• Active – including hillwalking /climbing,
cycling/mountain biking, horse riding,
kayaking/canoeing, field sports, snow
sports
• Freedom – wildlife watching, walking,
photography, touring, conservation
holidays
• Attractions – National Parks, National
Nature Reserves, visitor centres, long
distance routes
• Culture – arts and crafts, events and
festivals, food and drink
Source: Tourism Framework for Change
Scottish Natural Heritage
Wildlife watching
• No longer a niche market - growing at up
to 20% per annum.
• Becoming increasingly upmarket. More
sophisticated product, catering for a
number of different market segments:
– Specialists – particularly bird watchers,
prepared to travel long distances and to
‘rough it’ to view particular species,
– General nature tourists drawn to an area
by ‘iconic’ species but also interested in
the wider environmental context
– People with a casual interest in wildlife;
need relatively easy access to viewing
locations and interpretation to help them
get the most out of their visit
Source: World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)
Scottish Natural Heritage
Some nature based tourism headlines
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Sea eagles on Mull are worth around
£2million per year to the local economy
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More than 280,000 people visit the
Scottish Seabird Centre each year
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Dolphin watching on the east coast of
Scotland generates £5million annually
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Each year up to 30,000 walkers complete
the whole of the West Highland Way, with
60,000 others walking a part of it.
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There are around 3000 Scottish surfers,
based mainly in the central belt. Surfing is
growing by about 20% each year
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The RSPB Reserve at Balranald attracted
17,000 visitors last year
Scottish Natural Heritage
Galloway Kite Trail
• Trail launched in 2003 following successful
re-introduction red kite to Loch Ken
• Community based wildlife viewing initiative
created by RSPB Scotland in partnership
with FCS, local farmers and tourist
businesses.
• An anticlockwise route of 24 miles around
Loch Ken with an additional fourteen miles
of forest drive (summer only) – also
accessible by bike
• Initial public sector funding and support
from participating businesses - funded
interpretation in business outlets,
production of a leaflet and building good
links between the Trail and local
community.
• 3 year post funded for Kite Trail Community
Liaison Officer
Scottish Natural Heritage
Galloway Kite Trail in numbers
• 6 outdoor viewing points with
interpretation boards;
• 9 walks, (including a short path to
feeding station);
• 4 hides;
• 1 feeding station at Bellymack Hill
Farm – 30 birds seen together over
winter months
• 1 visitor centre with CCTV screen,
(summer only);
• 11 unique information boards
• 1 audio guide
• 2 red kite sculptures
• 4 information shelters have been built
to provide information on the Trail &
red kites
£2.63million new spend in the local
economy since 2004 due to GKT
Minimum of 13 extra jobs
supported per year since 2004 by
GKT
Scottish Natural Heritage
An individual business example – Wilderness
Scotland
• Specialist adventure travel company working
across the Highlands and Islands.
• Small group trips include walking holidays sea
kayaking holidays and courses, canoeing
holidays, mountain biking holidays and sailing
holidays.
• Wilderness holidays explore destinations such
as Knoydart, Glen Affric, Assynt and the
Cairngorms National Park.
• Guides with strong knowledge of the outdoors
and natural heritage
• Awards as ‘Worlds Best Green Tour Operator’
and ranking among ‘Best Adventure Travel
Companies on Earth’
Scottish Natural Heritage
Yorkshire’s Nature Tourism Triangle
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Yorkshire Wildlife Trust project aiming to show
how tourism income could help revitalise
Yorkshire’s coastal and inland economy
Nature based tourism project based around 3
YWT reserves
– Spurn Point - migrating birds
– Flamborough Cliffs - nesting seabirds
– North Cave Wetlands - restored quarry with
population of breeding avocets
– Plus 2 RSPB reserves and one managed by
Yorkshire Water
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250,000 people visiting eastern Yorkshire view
the area’s wildlife. For 45,000 of these (17%) the
area’s rich wildlife interest is the primary reason
for their trip.
Opportunity to generate additional income in
terms of parking fees, merchandising, guided
walks and other spending opportunities that can
contribute to local economic growth
Scottish Natural Heritage
Nature Tourism Triangle – project objectives
• Objectives: developing new nodes
for attracting visitors and stimulating
increased spending at existing sites
• Better packaging and marketing of
the wildlife viewing experience for
holidaymakers
• Local accommodation providers to
be much more proactive in
marketing their properties to draw
more people to the area because of
the rich natural and wildlife heritage.
• Develop festivals to mark particular
seasonal highlights - a ‘quick win’
Scottish Natural Heritage
www.snh.gov.uk/
[email protected]
01463 725197