Meeting

Cairngorms Tourism Partnership

15th June, 2020

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