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Cairngorms ViSIT Forum 
18/05/06 Paper 1 

Cairngorms Visitor Guide 2007 

Prepared by: Heather Galbraith, Sustainable Tourism Officer 

Purpose: To prompt discussion on whether the Park i publication should 
be endorsed as the official Cairngorms Visitor Guide 2007 


1. Background 

At the January 2006 ViSIT Forum meeting, a paper was presented outlining a number of 
options for the future production of the Cairngorms Visitor Guide. The discussion focused on 
the success of Park i, a commercially-produced guide launched last year which provides 
Park-wide information, much of which duplicates the information found in the Cairngorms 
Visitor Guide. Although a number of issues were raised about the benefits of having the two 
guides there was a general feeling from the Forum that where the private sector is providing 
visitor information, the public sector should not compete for advertising spend. 

As a result, it was agreed that further investigation into the private sector taking on production 
of the Visitor Guide should take place, as an alternative to repeating the same format of the 
existing Visitor Guide in future years. 

2. Cairngorms Visitor Guide 2004- 2006 

The Cairngorms Visitor Guide has been produced in the same format for the past three years. 
In general the Guide has been well received, and initial research to visitor reaction found that 
visitors liked the quality feel, limited advertising, and extensive imagery. However, some 
people felt that it was an inconvenient size. The 2006 Guide had a print run of 130,000, and 
due to a decrease in advertising income (thought largely to be the result of competition with 
Park i), the 2006 guide required a substantial public subsidy from CNPA and Visitscotland, 
which is not sustainable in the long term. 

The Visitor Guide sits within a growing family of free publications about the Park. Each of 
these serves a different purpose and the content and distribution arrangements fit with that 
purpose. The most relevant other publications to note are: 

• Park Welcome leaflet – recently revamped and produced with the Park brand image, 
distributed nationally by Landmark 

• Cairngorms Countryside Events Guide – details of guided walks run by rangers 
services in the Park, distributed in and around the Park by Landmark 

• Cairngorms Explorer – public transport timetable and walk/cycle suggestions, 
contains advertising, distributed in and around the Park and in main TICs nationally. 

Other publications about the Park that may be of interest to Visitors include the leaflets about 
hill tracks (Scotways) and butterflies, etc. (Cairngorms Biodiversity Project). 

3. Park i 

Discussions have been held between the publisher of Park i, (Tony Brown of Ice Publishing), 
the CNPA and VisitScotland; and all are confident that an acceptable way forward can be 
found to enable Park i to become the official visitor guide to the Cairngorms National Park. It 
is also believed that that such a partnership will continue the aims of the original Guide, which 
is to inform visitors of places to visit, things to do and activities to undertake; persuade visitors 
to increase their length of stay and spend in the area; enhance visitors’ enjoyment of their 
stay, encourage retention and dispersal of visitors; and encourage repeat business. 

The following aspects are part of the proposal: 

• Park i would continue to be produced in a pocket-size version with two editions, 
(winter and summer) with a total annual print run of 120,000. Distribution would be 
organised and paid for by VisitScotland through Landmark Press. 

• Copy for the publication would be provided by staff from VS / CNPA, who would 
retain editorial control, to ensure that the same information that is currently contained 
in the visitor guide continues to be made available to visitors. Access to VS / CNPA’s 
photo libraries for Park i imagery will also be given. 

• A minimum of 60% of the guide would be editorial, with the remaining 40% (max) 
given to advertising. 

• Park i would be endorsed by Visitscotland as the official Visitor Guide and all nonaccommodation 
businesses in the Highland area who have purchased a business 
package with VisitScotland would be given a complimentary listing. 

• As the guide would be endorsed by VisitScotland, only quality-assured businesses 
would be eligible for inclusion. This applies only to the accommodation sector, which 
is not the main focus of an at-destination guide. 

• It is hoped that the venture will be self-financing, although it is recognised that a small 
subsidy may be necessary initially. 

4. Advantages and risks 

Endorsing Park-i as the official visitor guide for the Park would have the following main 
advantages and disadvantages: 

Advantages: 

• More effective use of public money 

• Demonstration of effective partnership between public and private sector 

• Less competition for tourism businesses’ advertising spend 

Risks/ Disadvantages: 

• Heavy dependency on single commercial operator 

• Loss of inspirational element of current visitor guide – large format with more 
images 

5. Advice sought: 

Given the earlier steer from the ViSIT Forum, the CNPA and VisitScotland feel that working 
together in partnership with the commercial sector to support an existing guide is the most 
cost-effective and sustainable use of resources. Therefore, it is proposed that Park i be 
endorsed as the official Cairngorms Visitor Guide for 2007. Views from Forum members are 
sought. 


Heather Galbraith 
Sustainable Tourism Officer 

May 2006