Environment and Gaelic placed central priorities for Tourism Committee

The future remit of The Highland Council’s Tourism Committee has been agreed by Councillors and will be recommended to the next meeting of the Council for inclusion within the Council’s Scheme of Delegation.

Members of the Tourism Committee agreed a draft terms of reference for the committee and also agreed that Gaelic, the environment, and sustainable tourism will be added to the terms of reference and be more central to the work of the Council regarding tourism as well as budget considerations.

Cllr Gordon Adam was appointed as the new Chair of the Tourism Committee and Cllr Maxine Morley-Smith was appointed as Vice Chair.

Chair Cllr Adam said: “It is right that we emphasise sustainable tourism. Not only is rising to the environmental challenge at the heart of Council policy, it is the reason that people want to visit the Highlands to spend time appreciating its unspoiled beauty, and its rich Gaelic cultural heritage. The Committee also understands the key role that the private sector can play in providing facilities for the fast growing number of campervans visiting the Highlands, and the Council will produce a simple guide for the many people who have already expressed an interest in setting up small scale sites or “Aires” to accommodate overnight stays.”

Members discussed the preparations currently under way by Council officers on the development of a Visitor Management Plan and a Tourism Infrastructure Plan.

Executive Chief Officer - Infrastructure and Environment, Malcolm MacLeod updated Members on the Visitor Management Plan preparations. He described the work happening across Council services with staff looking at what services and facilities are provided; and what can be improved for summer 2021 within staff and budget resources. Long term recommendations looking at 2022 onwards are also being considered. The Plan will address the key areas of toilets and roads while trying to ensure that tourism areas under pressure are tied in with the Council’s capital strategy. The Plan will also look at parking, motorhomes (overnight parking and laybys), communications, and waste and litter.

Colin Simpson, Principal Officer – Europe, Tourism & Film informed Members that a Tourism Infrastructure Plan is currently being consulted on with community councils, business groups, public sector partners and internally with Council services and Members through Ward Business meetings. A final draft of the plan will come back to the Tourism Committee for Members’ consideration.

Members were also informed that a new Guide for Campervan Waste Disposal Facilities was launched this week through a partnership between Scottish Water, SEPA and Highland Council.

An update on visitor management in the Cairngorms was given by Murray Ferguson of the Cairngorms National Park Authority and Mark Tate, Cairngorms Business Partnership on Visitor Management.

Murray Ferguson outlined the role and remit of the Cairngorms National Park Authority which manages the largest national park in the UK. He highlighted the four ‘big picture’ themes of the Authority which include collaboration and visitor management, tourism planning, community support for tourism and addressing the balance between infrastructure and staff provision.

Mark Tate described the work of businesses preparing to welcome visitors back and how businesses were provided information that they needed to stabilise; prepare and to reopen. He thanked Highland Council officers for their support, advice and engagement with local businesses and highlighted the work being carried out to instill businesses and community confidence through social media campaigns such as #CairngormsTogether to welcome visitors back.