Members welcome progress on Cairngorms Economic Strategy

Progress has been welcomed by Members of The Highland Council’s Nairn, Badenoch and Area (NB&S) Committee on the development of an economic strategy for the Cairngorms National Park area by the Cairngorms Business Partnership.  

At a meeting in Kingussie this week (23 September) Mark Tate, Chief Executive of the Cairngorm Business Partnership (CBP) informed Members about the role of CBP and its delivery of the Cairngorms Economic Strategy.  

Mr Tate said: “Cairngorms Business Partnership are responsible for the leadership and coordination of the Cairngorms Economic Strategy which will be launched in the coming weeks and delivered through collaborative partnerships with organisations including The Highland Council, other local authorities, enterprise agencies and the private sector. The strategy aims to deliver economic development and diversification within the park area.” 

He explained: “That the Cairngorms Business Partnership is Destination Marketing Organisation which aims to attract more visitors to our internationally renowned National Park and the Chamber of Commerce for the National Park acting as the ‘voice for businesses’ within the park area and supporting business.  

“Mainly privately funded, we achieve this by organising business events such as a recent digital conference; and through the provision of marketing services such as ‘Visit Cairngorms’; the ‘What’s On’ magazine, we operate social media sites promoting the area and have this year run a successful Visit Scotland growth fund campaign which matches Visit Scotland funds with Private Sector funds to promote the National Park nationally and internationally.”  

He added: “The Partnership also supports local businesses by organising business breakfasts - the latest of which will take place at Kingussie High School on 8th October where local employers will have the opportunity to learn what the school is doing to prepare young people for the local workforce and explore areas to work together and improve further”  

Members of the NB&S Area Committee welcomed the opportunity to discuss the work of the CBP with Mr Tate.  

Committee Chair, Councillor Liz MacDonald said: “It’s important that the rural areas and not just the honeypots of the Cairngorms National Park are also included and benefit in the outcomes of the Economic Strategy.  

Cllr MacDonald and Cllr Dave Fallows raised how Nairn and the Moray Coastal areas; and Kingussie and Newtonmore main streets could be involved in the dialogue for the Cairngorms Economic Strategy.  

Councillor Gregor Rimell added that the importance of affordable housing in the area was vital for the local economy and indicated that ‘wholesome support’ would be given from local Members for appropriate affordable housing developments in the Park area.