Tourism is Everyone's Business
A Consultation on the Tourism (Scotland) Bill
Response from the Ramblers’ Association Scotland
December 2005
The Ramblers' Association Scotland works to:
- promote walking for health and pleasure;
- secure public access to land;
- develop path networks;
- protect the outdoor environment.
Access to, and enjoyment of, the outdoors has been shown, for
example during the Foot and Mouth outbreak in 2001, to be
fundamental to the tourism industry in Scotland. It is vital
that Visitscotland works to help achieve an attractive,
welcoming, accessible countryside and to protect the environment
that attracts visitors in the first place. Visitscotland needs
to be more than a marketing body and seek to take a more active
role in shaping policies and strategies.
The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 establishes a statutory
right of responsible access to almost all land in Scotland. It
provides the framework for potentially the best access
arrangements in Europe. This offers a unique selling point for
Scottish Tourism. Visitscotland needs to be in a position to
make the most of this.
The legislation secures access rights and is enhancing access
opportunities across Scotland and has the potential to boost
tourism significantly. Developing improved path networks and
information on access opportunities will be crucial in realising
the potential offered by outdoor recreation niche markets. It is
important that Visitscotland engages with this work – both
locally and at a national policy level.
Visitscotland should seek to inspire and influence other sectors
that are closely linked to its work - e.g. forestry and
agriculture. They are important in achieving a welcoming
countryside but not necessarily direct financial beneficiaries.
It is important that public policy in relation to tourism
reflects the breadth of the industry – it includes everyone
living in Scotland engaging in leisure activities as well as
visitors from elsewhere – as well as its reliance on its key
resource, Scotland’s outdoors.
Ramblers Scotland considers that Visitscotland should engage
more fully in policy debates over the future shape of Scotland’s
countryside and should be more active in promoting outdoor
recreation opportunities. In particular Visitscotland should be
a strong voice speaking up for the protection and enhancement of
Scotland’s world-renowned landscapes.
For example, Visitscotland should have a stronger voice in the
renewable energy debate given the clear landscape impact of wind
farms. Scotland’s landscape is the basis of much of our tourism
industry and there is a need for Visitscotland to voice the
concerns of the industry.
Another area where it would be helpful if Visitscotland had a
clearer role in promoting outdoor access is that of new golf
course development. While golf is undoubtedly an important
tourism niche there is growing concern over the impact of
coastal golf course development on coastal access. It would be
helpful if Visitscotland added its voice to this type of debate
more often and for it to give more emphasis to the needs of
outdoor recreation.
The Tourism Bill is an opportunity to ensure that this happens.
The legislation should give Visitscotland a clear duty to
promote outdoor recreation and to work to promote and enhance
the natural heritage on which much of tourism depends.
To be able to do this Visitscotland will also need to increase
its expertise in outdoor recreation and access matters. Staff
appointments and training can partly achieve this but it also
requires some expertise on the Board. The expansion of the size
of the Board offers an opportunity to ensure that appropriate
members are appointed to the Board. There should be a
requirement that at least one member be selected for their
expertise in this field.
Recommendations:
The Tourism Bill should include provision for Visitscotland
to have a clear duty to work, at both a national and local
level, to promote and enhance Scotland’s outdoor environment and
to promote and facilitate people’s enjoyment of the outdoors.
The Tourism Bill should include a requirement for members of the
Visitscotland Board to be appointed for their knowledge of
outdoor recreation.