WARNING - By their nature, text files cannot include scanned images and tables. The process of converting documents to text only, can cause formatting changes and misinterpretation of the contents can sometimes result. Wherever possible you should refer to the pdf version of this document. VISIT Forum 16/02/05 Paper 1 Annex 2 Table - Comments and Suggestions for Incorporation into Sustainable Tourism Strategy and Action Plan – Any further changes should be notified to Debbie Strang by Wednesday 23rd February 2005 Page No & Para Page 2 Comments Include final bullet point that strategy will go to the National Park Board Who by DS Page No & Para Page 3 Comments Replace agriculture with land management Who by FN Page No & Para Page 4 Comments It is very difficult to give an opinion of the impacts of tourism on the environment, For example, the impact of recreation disturbance on wildlife is only beginning to take place (eg recent Caper report). Suggest rewording to the ‘impact of tourism on the environment is not well understood. However, there are some issues that need to be addressed’ Who by FN Page No & Para 5 - 2.2 Comments Final sentence ‘windfarms phone masts and the loss of views and vistas due to changes in land management ie the growth of scrub and forest along roads and railways. Who by D Greene Page No & Para 7 Comments Under Visitor Attractions 2nd para insert ‘The Park also boasts a good range of distilleries, with seven listed in the audit. Four of these are open to the public and 3 have 4 star rating or above. Who by EM Page No & Para 7 Comments Recreational Activities second para delete second sentence and insert: Three out of the five snowsport areas in Scotland are within the National Park. CairnGorm mountain (with 28 runs) is located nine miles southeast of Aviemore, whilst Glensee, the largest in terms of number and length of pistes is located 8 miles south of Braemar. The Lecht between Cockbridge and Tomintoul has enjoyed several good seasons over the past 8 winters and has invested heavily in the quality visitor experience. Who by EM Page No & Para 7 Comments Rec activities 3rd para ‘It is likely that snowsports and ski touring will continue…..’ Who by D Greene Page No & Para Page 7 Comments Propose that general wildlife watching is included, as well as organised wildlife watching, and add Heatherlea Birdwatching as another example of packaged holiday’s operator Who by FN/KS Page No & Para 8 Comments Bullet point angling – comparison with the Dee, no recent comparable available, latest figure was £6.5 million in 1992 – Who by EM Include if possible or reason by cannot be included Suggest that this reference is not included as it is some 10 yrs earlier than Spey data Page No & Para 8 Comments There are 10 golf courses within the Park, should more be made of this as an activity? Who by EM KS Page No & Para Page 8 Comments Add bullet point – Rock climbing add ‘2004’ to Cairngorms Visitor Guide Who by D.Greene DS Page No & Para 9 Comments Under events change ‘co-ordinated’ to ‘publicised’ Who by D.Greene Page No & Para 12 Comments Insert final sentence before heading 2.7 ‘Other significant marketing groups include the Scottish Snowsports Marketing Group; Aviemore, Badenoch, Strathspey and Cairngorms (ABSC); and the Cairngorms Attractions Group (CAG). Who by EM JG Page No & Para Page 12 Comments Visitor numbers paragraph first sentence to remain, then replaced with: However, the NPA has recently commissioned research to produce visitor number using the STEAM model and current estimates suggest that in 2002, visitor numbers were approx 1.42 million with an increase to 1.47 million in 2003. Who by DS Page No & Para 13 Comments Provide comparison for expenditure figures – trying to obtain comparable date from LL&T NP and Highland Visitor Survey Who by EB RE Page No & Para 16 Comments Keep ‘Support for…..companies’ Insert ‘The Scottish Enterprise Network (SEN) delivers programmes for the Cairngorms through Scottish Enterprise Grampian (SEG) and Scottish Enterprise Tayside (SET). SEG leads on wildlife, nature-based tourism and food marketing initiatives for the whole of SEN. Moray, Badenoch and Strathspey Enterprise delivers programmes for he Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) which covers north west Scotland Delete sentence ‘At a higher level……south’. Keep final sentence. Who by EB Page No & Para 22 Comment Weaknesses – add variable weather’ to ‘unreliable snow fall’ ‘. Abundance of young, hard working often foreign, temporary labour who will work for less than locals. This is covered by the weakness ‘problems with recruiting and housing staff’. Poor attitude of staff Insert ‘conservation perceived as equating with planning constraint’ Who by D.Greene DS Page No & Para Page 25 Comments Suggest natural heritage strategy, as agreed by Board last month is referred to Who by FN Page No & Para Page 27 Comments Propose the heading ‘conserving environment quality should be central’ is changed to ‘conserving and enhancing environmental quality should be central’ – to fit in with the Natural Heritage Strategy Who by FN Page No & Para Page 31 3.3 Comments Mention of timeshare and its all year round contribution to occupancy to be put under title ‘Acomodation used’. P15 Who by JG Page No & Para 33 Comments After final sentence under cycling inset ‘Technical mountain biking is a small but growing subset of cycling which should also be considered Under fieldsports after penultimate sentence insert ‘The specialised gun smiths and clay pigeon shoots add value to this by offering competitions and beginner tuition.’ Who by D.Greene Page No & Para 38 – 3c Comments Correct term Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC) Who by D.Greene Page No & Para Page 28 Comments Suggest note that SQs are not yet defined, and may include ‘wilderness landscapes etc’ Who by FN Page No & Para 39 3d Comments Need to consider carefully the newspaper type publication and where is would sit with our other publications – to note the point rather than make changes to 3d. Who by EM Page No & Para 44 Comments 5e refer to Wild Scotland membership Mention HIE in addition to Sen? Who by NBlack Page No & Para 45 Comments 6c ….development of tourism facilities as would be the case with all planning proposals are fair, clear and consistently applied across the Park, while also…………. In all cases the aims of the Park, national planning guidance and CNPA planning policy will apply when decisions are taken. Who by N Brockie Page No & Para 46 – 6f Comments Sentence to include that foreign labour willing to work for less is also an issue Who by D.Greene Page No & Para Page 46 Comments To confirm, we are not commiting the food brand to any action yet – as this has not been agreed yet Who by FN Page No & Para 47 Comments Add to end of paragraph, The 4 constituent Local Authorities will also need to be involved in this, as they administer development control against their own local plans and policies until the Cairngorms NPA Local Plan is adopted. Who by N.Brockie Page No & Para Page 47, 7c Comments Suggest ‘..maintain the quality of landscape and natural heritage’ – not biodiversity as natural heritage has a broad definition Who by FN Page No & Para Page 47 Comments Suggest that efforts are made to help tourists learn about the environment Who by FN Page No & Para 49 – 8d Comments Insert ‘single journey’ before ‘place to place’ Who by D.Greene Page No & Para 54 4e Comments Include LECs Who by EB Page No & Para 55 6b Comments Should be LECs not SEN Who by EB Page No & Para 56 6f Comments Remove SEN Who by EB Page No & Para Page 58 Comments Suggest environmental impact list includes natural heritage and landscape Who by FN More comparisons on other parts of highlands and other NPs – Who by DB RE Include if possible or reason why cannot be included This was not specifically part of the project brief, however, attempts will be made to incorporate where possible eg, Visitor Survey information with LL&T NP