Date :
22/05/2013
Scotland is poised to develop its assets in natural and activity-based tourism to a new level.
Delegates at Scottish Tourism Week’s signature conference learned of plans to take full advantage of Scotland’s outstanding natural environment.
Paul Easto, Director of Wilderness Scotland and member of industry group Wild Scotland, has been asked by the Scottish Tourism Alliance to develop this strand of the Tourism Scotland 2020 strategy.
He told the conference:
“For a long time, I have believed that Scotland has untapped potential to develop as a world-class destination for active and nature-based travel experiences.”
He outlined key actions identified recently which are designed to build on the progress already made in sectors with the greatest growth potential.
Golf – with the return of the Ryder Cup and the British Open in 2014, the industry is getting behind the positioning of Scotland as the ‘Home of Golf’ in domestic and international tourism markets.
Adventure – already recognised as one of the leading adventure destinations in Europe, Scotland has the potential to extend its reach: attracting visitors from further afield while persuading more UK visitors to find adventure closer to home.
Marine – work is under way to target north European charter markets and sailing clubs, through a presence at boat shows and a new series of cruising itineraries – all designed to raise awareness of Scotland’s west coast as one of the world’s top sailing waters.
Cycling – further research is planned to inform the development of products such as themed cycle trails in the mountain and road sectors, and marketing to domestic and international audiences.
Heritage – Historic Scotland is leading discussions on an action-focused heritage tourism strategy. Meanwhile a new TIS Ancestral Tourism guide will help businesses tap in to the huge potential of visitors with Scottish ancestry.
In order to deliver on these fantastic opportunities, the sector needs to find efficiencies to help overcome the limited funds and capacity of smaller sectoral groups. A unified "House of Tourism" concept is to be explored to determine where it might add value and how it can contribute to a more effective delivery of the key ambitions.