Meetings

Planning Committee 

26th June, 2020

Location: Via Video-Conference - See Notice of Meeting for Link

Cairngorms Tourism Partnership 

22nd June, 2020

Location: Cairngorms Tourism Emergency Response Group - Via Video-Conference

Cairngorms Tourism Emergency Response Group 22nd June 2020, 11am. 

  Present: Grant Moir, Pete Crane, Mark Tate, Chris Taylor, Janet Hunter, Heather Trench, Rhona Taylor, Alistair Reid, Murray Ferguson, Colin Simpson, Geva Blackett. Apologies: Laurie Piper

1.Welcome and introductions

2.RESPOND

Key issues from DMOs

Cairngorms Business Partnership are raising the issue of staff availability when schools open on only a part time basis.  Community Planning Partnerships are looking at the issue. Sectoral calls are taking place this week with 80 people signed up for the self-catering sector.  Other sector groups have around 20-30 signed up. Mark has been asked to represent Chambers of Commerce on the new Tourism Recovery Task Force, chaired by Fergus Ewing.  The group will look at longer term economic recovery, rather than STERG which is a smaller short-term emergency group. The Higgins report on economic recovery is expected to be published at 11:30 today. VisitMoraySpeyside are starting their community conversations today. Visit Aberdeenshire’s consumer survey results will be circulated to the group today.  The organisation is looking at re-opening and timing of marketing plans, businesses opening etc. They will initially be targeting local people within the area, and marketing will not go live until 15^th July.   VisitScotland Overview Vs are looking at timeline for marketing activity from the 15^th July, with careful social media content in the meantime.  There is likely to be an announcement on the Good-to-Go scheme tomorrow. The community engagement case study on #CairngormsTogether will go live from VisitScotland later today.   Business Support update HIE advised that the CML team are now working to open part of the business from 15^th July, rather than waiting until the winter season as originally planned.  They are working on an appropriate business model, but toilets will be open. There will be a Business Gateway seminar on 24^th June on re-opening the tourism sector.   Both Aberdeenshire and Highland Council’s B&B hardship schemes have had very few applications, with many being unsuccessful, and the complexity of the scheme means that few applications contain all the necessary information. Highland Council should get the first few payments out today, though.   Aberdeenshire Council are running webinars on lockdown easing for businesses.  They will pull together key council contacts across departments such as licensing, planning and environmental health to streamline advice for businesses, and have been well received by participants to date. Highland Council have issued local guidance on re-opening, which will be circulated to the group.

3.RESET

Overview of consumer insights and other research. CNPA Visitor Survey 2019/20. There was a meeting last week with consultants to agree changes to the final report. Heather is working on a draft communications plan to get the overwhelmingly positive messages from the survey, along with 2019 STEAM data, to businesses in an appropriate and useful way.  The plan will be circulated to the CTERG this week for discussion next week.   Recent visitor sentiment data is available at VS marketing intelligence 17/06 and VB tracker.   There is not yet a funding decision on the Cambridge University FIDELIO project that we’ve been asked to be involved with.

4.RESTART

- Sectoral guidance on re-opening.  The guidance is fairly comprehensive, but as yet contains no information on safe re-opening of toilets. There are concerns that toilet guidance will be too strict to make opening practical. There is also a review of the 2m vs 1m social distance guidance, with changes in England widely expected to be announced tomorrow.  CBP flagged up anger from F&B businesses who had prepared for likely re-opening at the beginning of Phase 2, only to find a decision delayed for 2 weeks.   Visitor Management Issues Initial weekend feedback from land managers suggests that the weekend was relatively quiet in most areas, with some issues at Loch Morlich, Dinnet and Mar Lodge. Variable signage plans are progressing with Aberdeenshire Council, and seasonal rangers will be on the ground from Saturday.  FLS will have rangers back from Thursday at Loch Morlich, and are looking at re-opening beach toilets as soon as possible.   CBP flagged up anger from local businesses and communities about the lack of site management at Glenmore to date and it was agreed that the 3 DMOs (subject to agreement from Laurie) would write to FLS stressing importance of having visitor-facing staff on site ASAP.   Communications Framework phase 2 messages It was agreed that we need particular clarity of messaging on camping and campervanning.  Irresponsible camping is likely to increase over the coming weeks, and especially when overnight stays are permitted, particularly if not all campsites are able to open.  It may be necessary to provide some facilities at key sites such as Linn of Dee.  There is some anecdotal evidence that many of the campers are not used to wild camping, and there is a real need to provide clear access messages, particularly around fires.  Car parks at this stage should be encouraged to open, but not widely promoted.   CBP, with funding from CNPA, have commissioned a short consumer-facing video delivering #CairngormsTogether messages. Mark is also trying to encourage businesses to open as soon as possible to provide the visitor facilities necessary as visitor start to return.

5.RECOVER

CNPA Green Recovery Plan The criteria for applications to the recovery fund are being drafted for agreement ASAP, so that good projects can come through this financial year.  CNPA have been talking to SDS about a potential skills development training project, perhaps with CBP.

6.Any Other Updates

7.Date of next meeting

Monday 29^th June, 11:00 – 12:00

Call-ins 

22nd June, 2020

Cairngorms Tourism Partnership 

15th June, 2020

Location: Cairngorms Tourism Emergency Response Group - Via Video-Conference

Cairngorms Tourism Emergency Response Group 15th June 2020, 11am. 

Present: Janet, Murray, Heather, Pete, Laurie, Mark, Geva, Rhona

Apologies: Chris T, Chris F, Alistair, Grant, Colin S, Colin K

 

1.Welcome and introductions

2. RESPOND

Key issues from DMOs

VisitMoraySpeyside have now organised community conversations with Moray Chamber of Commerce.

VisitAberdeenshire should have the initial findings from their consumer research in the next few days and will share with the group.

 

VisitScotland Overview

VS are working on marketing recovery planning and will be discussing this on the 17th June with CBP and CNPA.  They are also working to identify which businesses will be open initially and to what extent, as well as re-opening messaging to visitors and communities, probably including a case study on the approach taken by CNPA and CBP. All VS covid / recovery webinars now here

 

Business Support update – Colin/Alistair/Rhona

HIE are finishing assessments of the final Pivotal Enterprise Fund applications. Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service may be able to help businesses with advice on re-opening and Rhona will make an introduction to DMOs to discuss.

Community planning partnership meetings are taking place to discuss school re-opening plans in the Highland area.  Rhona had attended one that was useful to make the link between businesses, childcare and school provision.    Murray will feed in any thoughts from CBP as Mark was invited but is unable to attend. Aberdeenshire Council are also looking at the same issues and Geva will circulate plans when available.

Local authorities are today starting work on the new B&B grant support scheme.

3. RESET

Overview of consumer insights and other research

As well as the weekly VS marketing intelligence 27/05 , VS have also published Scottish data from the new VisitBritain tracker - VB tracker – Scotland data .

The monthly Scottish Tourism Index has published its second report, and 56 degrees will run another workshop for the CBP on Tuesday 23rd June at 10 am.

4. RESTART

 Visitor Management Plans are now published on CNPA website but will continue to change.  All seasonal rangers are now in post and will be training virtually for the first week at least, before starting to work in the last weekend in June. They are very capable, locally based, and with a lot of experience.  Land manager feedback has started to come in from the weekend.  There seem to have been small numbers of incidents of irresponsible behaviour, not the same scale of issues as two weeks ago.  CNPA compile reports from reports from key land managers on a Monday morning for discussion at a regular land managers meeting on Wednesday morning. Janet and Geva raised issues around negative signage and car parking closures in Deeside.  There was some confusion about the extent to which Invercauld Estate were involved in the land manager discussions.  Pete will make sure they are involved.

 

Murray suggested that a conversation with CBP about the #CairngormTogether be included in the training for rangers. Pete will ask Al Smith to contact Mark to arrange.

 

Communications Framework rollout plans

CNPA and CBP  issued a press release at the end of the last week about #CairngormsTogether communications framework, which seemed to have been picked up well by media.  CBP, with funding from CNPA, have commissioned a 1 minute consumer-facing video featuring local businesses to welcome back visitors and get key messages across. It should be filmed this week and available for rollout on social media in advance of businesses re-opening.  There will be some paid promotion but it will focus on existing audiences not new visitors.  CBP are also investigating production of #CairngormsTogether wristbands.

 

Geva said she was very happy with the new access infographics featuring #CairngormsTogether which are getting well-shared.

 

The CBP website should have a Red / Amber / Green system for business listings up and running in the next couple of weeks, which can include car parking and toilet facilities.

 

Community meetings

Janet asked for any feedback about the meetings.  Councillor feedback was good from their meeting.  Overall there were not many new issues that we hadn’t already been aware of, and the work done to date was valued. In retrospect, it would have been good to include CNPA board members as well.

5. RECOVER

The CNPA Green Recovery Plan board discussion took place on Friday and the paper was well-received.  The recovery fund will be discussed by Management Team this week.

6. Any Other Updates

None

7. Date of next meeting

Monday 22nd June

Call-ins 

15th June, 2020