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CAIRNGORMS TOURISM DEVELOPMENT WORKING GROUP Meeting held on Wednesday 1st September 2004 at 10.30am at the Albert Hall, Station Square, Ballater Present Bruce Luffman (Chair) Auld Cummerton, Strathdon Elaine Booth Scottish Enterprise Grampian Neil Black Visitscotland Sally Dowden Speyside Wildlife Ian Dunlop Aberdeen and Grampian Tourist Board Patricia Eccles Nethy House, Nethy Bridge Roger Edwards MBSE Murray Ferguson Cairngorms National Park Authority Heather Galbraith Cairngorms National Park Authority John Grant SRPBA Andrew Harper Cairngorms National Park Authority Paul Higson ECAP Project Co-ordinator Jane Hope Cairngorms National Park Authority Bob Kinnaird Cairngorm Mountain Siobhan MacDonald Cairngorms National Park Authority James Macfarlane Muckrach Lodge Hotel, Dulnain Bridge Ann Napier Association of Cairngorms Community Councils Ian Reynolds Scottish Enterprise Tayside Debbie Strang Cairngorms National Park Authority Bill Taylor Scottish Natural Heritage Casia Zajac Highlands of Scotland Tourist Board Jim Knowles Aberdeenshire Council Apologies Danny Alexander Cairngorms National Park Authority Scott Armstrong Highlands of Scotland Tourist Board Simon Blackett Braemar Tourist Association Andrew Bruce Wootton Atholl Estates Pete Crane Cairngorms National Park Authority Alistair Gronbach Visitscotland Gary Marsden Balmoral Estate James Milne Kinross House, Grantown Caroline Mitchell Aberlour Distillery Christine Morrison Rothiemurchus Estate Elma McMenemy Royal Deeside and Mearns Tourism Forum Douglas Ritchie Perth and Kinross Tourist Board Colin Smith Angus and Dundee Tourist Board Elizabeth Thompson Dalwhinnie Distillery Tim Walker Sportscotland Glenmore Lodge Andrew Wells Glenlivet Estate, Tomintoul Bob Wilson Aberdeen & Grampian Tourist Board In Attendance Alan Ainsley Navyblue Design Consultancy Helen Grimley Navyblue Design Consultancy Welcome and Apologies Action 1. The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting, introduced Alan Ainsley and Helen Grimley of Navyblue Design Consultancy, and noted the apologies. Minutes of the Meeting of 12th May 2004 and Matters Arising 2. The minutes of the previous meeting were approved. 3. Cairngorms Visitor Guide: It was confirmed that Royal Mail is unable to deliver the guide to households within the park, because it marginally exceeds the allowable weight limit. The Tourist Boards assured the Group that the Guide was being delivered through the usual channels, but encouraged Group members to request as many copies as they felt able to distribute. 4. Travel Trade Workshop: HOST are running a workshop in November for stand-holders who have booked for VisitScotland Expo 2005 focusing on exhibition attendance. Although this session should be useful for those businesses that have not previously attended tradeshows, it was agreed that some training on information gathered and contact follow-up at these events would be useful. HOST agreed to investigate this with the CNPA. Action HG/HOST 5. Information was circulated on Point i( Paper 2), a touch screen visitor information system and Murray Ferguson agreed to arrange a demonstration for the next meeting. Action MF 6. Aviemore TIC: The Group were advised that HOST will be leasing new premises on Grampian Road in Aviemore with effect from 27th November. Developing the Cairngorms Brand 7.Alan Ainsley from Navyblue gave a presentation on the development of a Cairngorms National Park brand, and outlined the early stages and the development of a brand audit. There was discussion on the importance of park residents 'buying-in' to the brand and being fully involved in its development. Ann Napier advised that a range of community events are being held in November to consult on the local plan, and two Local Plan coordinators have been recruited as part of this process. It was agreed that Navyblue should contact the co-ordinators to see whether there might be an opportunity to seek views of local people on the development of the brand. Action DA 8. The VisitScotland Pride and Passion initiative was mentioned, which encourages the whole community to support tourism; and Bob Kinnaird who is involved with the initiative agreed to provide an update at the next meeting. Action BK 9. Sam Ham, an interpretation consultant from the University of Idaho is currently visiting the Park area, and three workshops in Ballater, Tomintoul and Kingussie have been arranged to develop a framework for interpretation. Navyblue are attending one of the workshops, and this will help to ensure that the brand is developed in line with the interpretation work and marketing strategy. 10. A steering group has been set-up to keep a watching brief on the brand development project, comprising Danny Alexander, Lucia Campbell, Alasdair Colquhoun from the Association of Cairngorms Community Councils, Sally Dowden, Alistair Gronbach, Heather Galbraith, and a member of the agricultural community, to be suggested by Siobhan MacDonald. Action SM UK National Parks Pathways Branding Project Update 11. The Pathways Project aims to develop a collective brand identity for all UK National Parks. The project is at an early stage but there are plans to develop a web portal for National Park websites and investigate joint working with other national organisations. The value of the project to the CNPA was discussed and it was agreed that generating interest in national parks collectively would provide a useful platform for promotion of the CNPA. Cairngorms Marketing Strategy & Action Plan Update 12. It was noted that the Marketing Strategy had been approved by the Park Board, and Paper 2, was tabled outlining the key marketing activities that will be included in the Marketing Strategy Action Plan. Further consultation will take place with partner organisations and a detailed action plan, including timescales and funding, will be available by mid- December. Actiion HG 13. The final report on the Cairngorms Visitor Survey is imminent and it was agreed that a presentation should be arranged for the next meeting. It is the intention to make the full report as widely available as possible, and a small leaflet with the key findings for local businesses will also be produced. Actio HG/PC Development of the Sustainable Tourism Strategy 14. Paper 3 was tabled and provided an update on the Sustainable Tourism Strategy. The consultants are in the process of gathering initial information by questionnaire survey and telephone interviews. There was a discussion about the selected telephone interviewees and it was decided that a hotelier should be added, and that the missing representative from AGTB should also be included. Action DS 15. An issues paper will be produced at the beginning of October by the consultants and this will be circulated to the Strategy Sub-Group to seek comment in advance of the Sustainable Tourism Workshop scheduled for Wednesday 27th October. Cairngorms Visitor Guide 2004/2005 16. Paper 1 outlined the evaluation of the 2004 Visitor Guide and the process to oversee the production of the 2005 Guide. It was agreed that no further evaluation is required on the 2004 guide. 17. A mailshot has been sent out to some 650 tourism businesses on the CNPA database including a copy of the 2004 guide and advertising ratecard for the 2005 guide. It was agreed that businesses that are solely accommodation should not have been sent this information as they will not be allowed to place an advert. Accommodation that includes a restaurant or facilities to non-residents are allowed to advertise 18. It was agreed that more information on the park communities should be included in the HG/PC 2005 guide.Action HG/PC Scottish Tourism Network Update 19. Industry Update No 2 was tabled by Casia Zajac, and Ian Dunlop outlined the political processes involved in making the change to the new integrated tourism network. 20. The Chair updated the group on 3 recent meetings he had attended. The first with ministers, Frank McAveety & Alan Wilson, had been positive and the special status of Scotland's National Parks had been recognised, with the idea of the CNP as a pilot for the national tourism exercise being raised. A further meeting with the Chief Executives from both NPs, Visitscotland and senior Civil Servants will be held in due course. 21. A second successful meeting was held with Peter Lederer, Chair of Visitscotland, who supported the progress of the TDWG and finally; the Chair had attended a meeting with COSLA, which had discussed a number of relevant tourism issues. Transition of Working Group to Advisory Forum 22. The Park Authority has reviewed its current working arrangements and decided that Advisory Forums mirroring the 4 aims of the Park will be set up (Integrated Land Management, Visitor Services, Tourism and Information and Local Access) together with an Advisory Forum on the issue ofoined-up working 23. The new Visitor Services, Tourism and Information Advisory Forum will have a similar remit and membership to the existing TDWG, but will be adapted to include Visitor Services and Information issues.There will be strong links to the other Forums, particularly the Social and Economic Development Advisory Forum. Action MF Point of Entry Signage Update 24. Debbie Strang gave a brief update on the Point of Entry Signage Project, and said that the Board had endorsed a set of guiding principles for the project (covering aspects such as maintenance, siting, inclusion of gaelic) and favoured seeking funding to install high quality granite markers together with appropriate upgrading and visitor information provision at the key sites. 25. She went on to say that further developmental work was taking place with the consultant so that accurate costings together with timescales could produced. The project can be completed in just over two years once funding is in place, and if this is the case it is likely that the first markers could appear in summer 2005. 26. The provision and need for directional signage was also discussed, and Murray Ferguson advised that a new member of staff will be recruited to look at signage and interpretation, and an update will be given at the next meeting. Action MF Project Updates Action 27. Roger Edwards updated the Group on the research commissioned by MBSE to looking at the development of business and community groups in Badenoch and Strathspey from a visitor perspective. It was stressed that this work should feed into Visitscotland’s product development work as well as the Cairngorms Brand Development work and Sustainable Tourism Strategy. 28. Paul Higson advised that some new ECAP paths had been opened. 29. There was a discussion on the role of Tourist Board Training in the tourism network and Casia Zajac confirmed that they will also be merged with VisitScotland. It was suggested that they be approached to deliver the proposed exhibition follow-up training course. Action HG AOCB 30. James MacFarlane suggested that Derek Reid, visiting Professor of Abertay University and a former Scottish Tourist Board chairman, be invited to address the group at the next meeting, because he has undertaken research in New Zealand which has great relevance to the Park area. Action HG 31. Siobhan MacDonald advised that an audit is ongoing to identify what products are being produced by farmers within the park, and the associated marketing and branding strategies that might result. 32. Bill Taylor announced that he would no longer be representing SNH on the Group as he has accepted a new post as Natural Heritage Manager at HIE. It was suggested that SNH should be contacted to see whether a replacement could be suggested. Action DS 33. Murray Ferguson advised that 6 local workshops to discuss the setting up of Local Access Forums, are being organised throughout the Park area, during September. 34. The Sponsorship of Tourism and the Environment Award at the Aberdeen and Grampian tourism businesses Northern Light Awards, was raised as a possibility for the CNPA to consider. 35. The Cairngorm, Rothiemurchus and Glenmore Group Management Plan is out for consultation, and Group members are encouraged to respond. Date of Next Meeting 36. The workshop for the Sustainable Tourism Strategy will be held on Wednesday 27th October, and the programme will include a meeting of the TDWG during the afternoon to discuss the direction of the strategy and action plan development. 37. Thereafter, the next meeting will be held on 15th December 2004 at a Badenoch & Strathspey location. The meeting ended at 13:15pm Heather Galbraith September 2004