Sticks and stones Review of Nature Based Tourism sites in the south of Scotland

1. Sticks and stonesReview of Nature Based Tourism sitesin the south of Scotland Dunira Strategy and The Borders Foundation for Rural Sustainability The Tontine, Peebles, Scottish Borders Tuesday 3 June 2003

2. Nature Based Tourism

3. Behavioural definition of NBT “Wildlife tourism covers visits to natural wildlife habitats or watching wildlife on land and/or sea” Source: scotexchange.net

4. Attitudinal definition of NBT ?

5. Consumer attitudes to NBT 62% of visitors to Scotland cite nature and wildlife as being “very important” to their holiday BUT Only 2% cite these as being their “main” motivation Source: scotexchange.net

6. Project objectives • To identify, describe and map NBT sites in the south of Scotland • To analyse the potential for packaging and marketing these sites as NBT “products”

7. AGENDA • Context • Methodology • Clusters • Recommendations • Questions

8. CONTEXT

9. Dumfries & Galloway DINKS/SINKS Empty Nesters Scottish Borders Ross & Rachel Terry & June Target markets Sources: DumfriesAndGallowayExchange.net, Scot-borderExchange.net

10. Consumer motivations Source: NFO System Three / Dunira Strategy

11. The paradox of NBT • Nature and wildlife are not primary motivators for NBT • The attraction of NBT is choice and range • The experience of NBT is more important than the product • The implication is that it all comes down to marketing...

12. Operating environment- key changes • 9-11 • IT • Ethical consumer

13. Market implications • Loss of confidence in air travel • Enthusiasm for rural tourism • Increased demand for NBT from local markets But... • Direct access to competitor product • Demand for sustainable product • Requirement for strong integrated branding

14. The marketing challenge • Adding value to existing products • Constructing ‘products’ out of existing resources • Bringing marginal products ‘out into the open’ As long as the products are good enough (and sufficiently integrated with appropriate local infrastructure), the problem simply becomes one of branding

15. AGENDA • Context • Methodology • Clusters • Recommendations • Questions

16. METHODOLOGY

17. SNH Questionnaire template Preliminary Borders database Site clustering Site testing Questionnaire modification Mapping Analysis Cluster definition Anchor site selection Methodology development • Cluster ground-truthing and analysis

19. AGENDA • Context • Methodology • Clusters • Recommendations • Questions

20. CLUSTERS

21. NBT clusters in the Scottish Borders

22. NBT clusters in Dumfries & Galloway

23. Anchor site criteria 1. It has pulling power in its own right 2. It has relevant accessible facilities (eat, sleep, wash) 3. It has the management competencies and will to facilitate the development of a wider cluster

24. Cluster models • Strong anchor • Stick’n’stones

25. Nature walks Heritage trails Wild walking Craft trails Farm trails Cycle routes Scenic drives Equestrian activities Llama treks Boat trips Water sports Indicative products

26. Cluster examples • · Berwickshire Coast • · Lammermuir Hills • · Yarrow Valley

27. AGENDA • Context • Methodology • Clusters • Recommendations • Questions

28. RECOMMENDATIONS

29. Recommendations 1. Contextualisation 2. Sustainable tourism 3. Cluster development 4. Local integration 5. Education

30. Contextualisation • Linkages to other sites • Historical/literary contexts • Cross-fertilisation • Reference to facilities • Showcasing of geographically related sites • Showcasing of thematically related sites

31. Sustainable tourism “sustainability should be accepted as a fundamental concept, relative both to the environment and to investment” Source: SQW

32. Consumer attitudes to tourism Source: ABTA

33. Cluster development • The project has identified 61 clusters of NBT resources • The region should retain a Cluster Development Officer • The CDO needs to facilitate a local meeting of each cluster and maintain an overview of development activity • Each meeting needs to identify its own local champion • Each champion will bring the network alive, be the main contact for ATBs and help to identify local experts • Experts will run local activities and share best practice • Clusters will evolve and new dimensions will emerge

34. Local integration • Should be a requirement for grants and other assistance • Clusters are inevitably artificial (a marketing construct), but are critical to the viability of marginal resources • Every NBT initiative can contribute to the weight of a cluster and can in turn be supported by its context in a cluster(s) • There are opportunities for ATBs to demonstrate the value of contextualisation and showcase examples of local integration, including the promotion of local supply chains • Economic benefits will accrue through greater collaboration

35. Education • Community facilities • Educational resources • Local supporter base • Longer-term development

36. AGENDA • Context • Methodology • Clusters • Recommendations • Questions

37. ??? QUESTIONS ???

38. AGENDA • Context • Methodology • Clusters • Recommendations • Questions

39. Sticks and stonesReview of Nature Based Tourism sitesin the south of Scotland Benjamin Carey Dunira Strategy info@dunira.com, 0131 552 5549 Denise Walton The Borders Foundation for Rural Sustainability info@bfrs.org, 01890 781328