Nature based Tourism in Southern Scotland

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Nature based Tourism in Southern Scotland

• Building economic value from natural assets
• Work done by RSK ERA for the Southern Uplands
  Partnership

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What is nature based tourism?

• All forms of tourism based on nature
• Landscape and views
• Wildlife and natural places
• Walks, fishing, riding in the country
• Appreciation of nature and natural heritage

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Nature based tourism is an economic force

• Jobs
• Businesses
• High spending visitors
• Increasing numbers of visitors
• Lengthening the season
• Reaching the remoter parts

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Who are the nature tourists?

• Friends and family
• Curious people who like exploring, watching and
  learning
• Older people enjoying the countryside
• Young people looking for fun
• People who like walking, cycling, fishing,
  cayaking

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What are they looking for?

• Beautiful landscapes
• Peace and quiet
• Walks
• Information about how long a walk takes, where to
  park

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Where are the best nature tourism places?

• Most interesting nature sites are on the
  peripheries of administrative areas
• Coasts
• Rivers
• Mountains and hills
• So often need to work in partnership with
  neighbouring administrations

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Micro enterprises need help

• Small businesses often run part time
• Sites run by volunteers or as part of another
  business, so no entry fee and no Visit Scotland
  membership
• Too small to qualify for help from Scottish
  Enterprise
• So need someone employed to help them with
  co-operating and marketing a facilitator

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South Ayrshires natural strengths

• Long flowery coasts
• Wooded river valleys
• Sea birds,boat trips
• Gannet colony on Ailsa Craig

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East Ayrshires natural strengths

• Glens and mountains
• Moors and forests
• The contrast between open cast coal mines and
  quiet nature
• Loch with Dolly Varden (Arctic Char)

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Dumfries and Galloway natural strengths

• Biosphere Reserve with world class bog
• Estuary coast, winter birds
• Oak woods and lochs
• Galloway Kite Trail
• Forest Park with red deer and wild goats

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Developing the resource

• Need to cluster sites together in order to
  achieve better publicity
• So need facilitator to form groups and apply for
  funding
• Eventually, need more self-employed boat
  operators, rangers, tour guides