WESTER ROSS TOURISM DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY NOVEMBER 2015

Transcription

1 WESTER ROSS TOURISM DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY NOVEMBER 2015 PREPARED FOR VISIT WESTER ROSS by TOURISM AND LEISURE SOLUTIONS Turism and Leisure Slutins, 59 Beech Park, Leven, Fife KY8 5NG

2 CONTENTS Page 3. Page 4. Page 5. Page 6. Summary Wester Rss Turism Develpment Strategy Intrductin Defining Wester Rss Methdlgy Page 15. The Natinal & Reginal Turism Cntext Page 18. Strengths, Opprtunities, Inhibitrs & Threats Page 22. New Investments & Prjects Page 24. Wester Rss Turism Develpment Strategy Intrductin Page 24. Visin Page 25. Missin Page 26. Aim Page 27. Target Markets Page 30. Fundatins Page 32. Turning Strengths & Opprtunities int Experiences Page 48. Page 55. Page 59. Page 62. Page 63. Imprving the Custmer Jurney Overcming Barriers & Inhibitrs Building Capacity & Capabilities Recmmended Pririties Cnclusin Appendix 2 - Audit f Wester Rss Organisatins & Visitr Infrmatin Surces Appendix 1. Audit f Wester Rss Visitr Prducts & Services (enclsed separately as an EXCEL File) 2

3 1. SUMMARY WESTER ROSS TOURISM DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY VISION Wester Rss will be a first chice Highland destinatin fr lyal repeat visitrs and new high spending visitrs wh seek authentic, fulfilling and memrable experiences delivered by peple wh wrk tgether t extend the turism seasn by sharing their passin fr their unspiled landscapes and cmmunities. MISSION - T bring lcal businesses, rganisatins and cmmunities thrughut the area tgether t cllabrate n develping and prmting high quality prducts and services that deliver authentic experiences t an expanded range f visitr types in rder t grw turism in a sustainable manner that creates pprtunities fr lcal peple, enhances ecnmic perfrmance and cntributes t scial chesin. AIM - T increase the cntributin f turism t all businesses and cmmunities in Wester Rss by encuraging new partnerships and cllabratins that extend the turism seasn, attract new visitr markets and ffer additinal, high quality and authentic visitr experiences TARGET MARKETS UK Adventure Seekers UK Natural Advcates Germans French STRATEGIC CONTEXT Turism Sctland 2020 Develpment Framewrk Highland Turism Actin Plan 2020 VisitSctland Target Segments New Investments & Prjects KEY STRENGTHS & OPPORTUNITIES Natural Envirnment Outdr Activities Wildlife Watching Marine Turism Itineraries & Rutes Events Fd & Drink Prduct Clusters INHIBITORS & BARRIERS Lack f Cllabratin Seasnality Transprt Human Heritage Lcal Statistics Digital Cnnectivity Visitr Infrmatin TURNING STRENGTHS & OPPORTUNITIES INTO EXPERIENCES Envirnment Activities Wildlife Marine Itineraries Events Fd & Drink Clusters Accreditatins Walks Viewpints Sailing NC500 Extreme Accreditatins Spread New Initiatives MTB Calendar Cruises Kyle Line Cultural Lcal Prduce Branding Databases Packaging Marine Transprt Arts & Eats Crafts Opening Hurs Retentin Scenic Rutes Festival Bealach Natinal Festival Ferry Reginal IMPROVING THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY OVERCOMING BARRIERS & INHIBITORS Cllabratin Seasnality Transprt Heritage Statistics Cnnectivity Infrmatin Fundamental Husing Rads Initiatives Reginal Wi-fi Websites Underpinning Itineraries Public Festival Barmeter Bradband Databases Tangible Actin Offers Integratin Lcal Stries Area Partnership Links Bkings Trails Referrals BUILDING CAPACITY & CAPABILITIES Labur & Skills Quality Cllabratin Capacity Schl Leavers Accreditatins Annual Cnference Vlunteer Fatigue Prduct Knwledge Best Practice Turism Frum Turism Dev. Officers Business Wrkshps Prmtin Sectral Grups at Lcal Level Leadership Skills Recgnitin Prgs Referrals 3

4 2. INTRODUCTION Wester Rss is an area f the Nrth West Highlands with a ppulatin f 6,000. The main ppulatin centres are Ullapl, Gairlch and Lchcarrn, althugh there are a large number f smaller villages and rural cmmunities. Turism is a key cmpnent f the lcal ecnmy. 16.1% f Wester Rss s wrking ppulatin are emplyed in the distributin, htels and catering sectr, cmpared with 9.3% acrss Highland regin as a whle. Distributin, htels and catering is the largest emplyment sectr in Wester Rss. In additin, 23.1% f lcal husing stck is used as secnd r hliday hmes. This cmpares with 6.2% acrss Highland regin as a whle. (All figures frm Highland Cuncil, Wester Rss Facts and Figures appendix t Wester Rss Lcal Plan) Visit Wester Rss is ne f a number f lcal turism and business assciatins and cmmunity rganisatins with an active interest in develping and prmting turism. It is the nly such bdy that aspires t represent and supprt turism interests thrughut Wester Rss, rather than a smaller, mre lcalised part f the area. As such, it is recgnised as the fremst private sectr led turism bdy in the area by agencies such as Highlands Cuncil, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and VisitSctland, and has sught t develp an area wide remit by liaising and wrking in partnership with ther lcalised grups. Visit Wester Rss develped ut f the earlier Celtic Fringe turism grup, which primarily fcused n the Natinal Scenic Area f Wester Rss. Celtic Fringe cllabrated with Gairlch & Lch Ewe Actin Frum (GALE), a cmmunity wned charitable develpment cmpany, Lchcarrn & District Business Assciatin, Gairlch Business Assciatin and Ullapl Turism and Business Assciatin n the Wester Rss Initiative, which develped and began implementing a Marketing Strategy fr the area in Hwever, the initiative disbanded when it was unable t secure sustainable funding streams t implement the Strategy in full. Celtic Fringe changed its name t Visit Wester Rss in rder t cntinue t prgress elements f the 2005 Marketing Strategy acrss all f the area. Visit Wester Rss currently has apprximately 160 member businesses and rganisatins. Visit Wester Rss have nw cmmissined Turism and Leisure Slutins t assist in drafting a new Turism Develpment Strategy fr the area that will identify and priritise turism develpment pprtunities t

5 3. DEFINING WESTER ROSS While defining the specific area cvered by Wester Rss is prbably f limited imprtance r interest t current and ptential visitrs, a clear definitin is essential t any meaningful strategy dcument as it clarifies which cmmunities and businesses may cme within its remit. There is n clear agreement n the physical area that Wester Rss cvers, particularly as, unlike ther destinatins such as Argyll, Caithness r Mray, it has never been an administrative entity in its wn right. Instead it has traditinally been part f the larger cunty f Rss & Crmarty. As a cnsequence, the term Wester Rss can be applied t differing gegraphical areas. The Wester Rss Natinal Scenic Area (NSA) was fficially designated in 1980 and is the largest f 40 NSAs acrss Sctland. Hwever, it cvers nly 58% f the land area cnsidered t cmprise Wester Rss by Highland Cuncil and des nt include areas such as Applecrss, Lch Brm and Upper Lch Trridn, which many cnsider t be key cmpnents. The prpsed Wester Rss Bisphere Reserve, a Scttish Natural Heritage led initiative which is seeking t btain UNESCO recgnitin, cvers a much larger area that stretches frm Achiltibuie and Cigach in the nrth t Lch Hurn in the suth and Garve in the east. Within Highland Cuncil, Wester Rss is part f a larger Wester Rss, Strathpeffer & Lchalsh ward. The Cuncil s Wester Rss Lcal Plan cvers an area that stretches nrth t suth frm Cigach t the suth shre f Lch Carrn, and ges as far east as the mst westerly edges f Lch Glascarnch and Lch a Chrisg. Rather than get t bgged dwn n gegraphical details, fr the purpse f this Turism Develpment Strategy we have bradly adpted the area utlined in the Highland Cuncil Lcal Plan, but have extended it slightly eastwards t incrprate bth Achnasheen and Aultguish, which we suggest have mre in keeping with the tpgraphy and landscapes f Wester Rss than its neighbur Easter Rss. We nte that the memberships f sme f the business grups based within Wester Rss include businesses and rganisatins utwith this area. Therefre, we wuld recmmend that bundaries shuld be kept flexible in rder t encmpass and wrk with all businesses and rganisatins that want t assciate themselves with Wester Rss. 5

6 4. METHODOLOGY Turism and Leisure Slutins undertk the fllwing stages f wrk in rder t infrm this Turism Develpment Strategy Review f Relevant Plicy & Strategy Dcuments The aim f this review was t identify natinal and reginal plicies and strategies that are likely t impact upn a Wester Rss Turism Develpment Plan. Any successful Develpment Plan will require t align with ther relevant plicies and strategies in rder t draw benefit and value frm them. Dcuments reviewed include - - The natinal Turism Sctland 2020 Develpment Framewrk develped by the Scttish Turism Alliance and supprted by all natinal public sectr turism agencies - The Highland Turism 2020 Actin Plan, that seeks t deliver the natinal strategy in the Highlands. - Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Building Our Future, Operating Plan VisitSctland Turism in Sctland s Regins 2013 reprt f July VisitSctland An Overview f Our Target Segments factsheet (2014). - VisitBritain Statistics & Insights Reprts n inbund turism int the UK. - Highland Cuncil Wester Rss Lcal Plan (2006). - Highland Cuncil Wester Rss NSA Envirnmental Imprvements Optins Appraisal, Final Reprt May Wester Rss Bisphere Reserve Applicatin, September On-Line Survey f Visitrs t Wester Rss The aim f this survey was t gather infrmatin n mtivatins fr visiting Wester Rss and the types f experiences that visitrs enjy when in the area. A ttal f 37 respnses were received. 24 respnses (65%) were frm females and 13 (35%) frm males. The breakdwn f respndents by age and place f residence is utlined in the tables belw. 6

7 Table Visitr Survey Respndents by Age Age Grup N. f Respndents % f Respndents % % % % % N Respnse 1 3% Table Visitr Survey Respndents by Place f Residence Place f Residence N. f Respndents % f Respndents Central Sctland 11 30% Nrth f England 9 24% Suth f England 8 22% Nrth f Sctland 3 8% Netherlands 2 5% Wales 2 5% Germany 1 3% N Respnse 1 3% It is impssible t cmment n hw representative a sample f visitrs t Wester Rss this is, as VisitSctland visitr prfiling data is nt currently brken dwn belw the reginal Highlands level. Hwever, Highlands data indicates that, thrughut the regin as a whle, Scts represent the greatest prprtin f visitrs. Our visitr survey generated the greatest number f respnses frm visitrs resident in England and, therefre, may verstate the imprtance f the English market t the area. Nnetheless, respnses d give useful insights t visitr experiences and pririties. 7

8 4.3. Online Survey f Visit Wester Rss Members. The aim f this survey was t gather the views f lcal turism peratrs n pprtunities, barriers and pririties fr develping turism in Wester Rss. A ttal f 26 respnses were received. This represents a 14% respnse rate frm the Visit Wester Rss membership. A breakdwn f respndents by type and lcatin is utlined in the tables belw. Table Business Survey Respndents by Type Type f Business N. f Respndents % f Respndents Nn Serviced Accmmdatin Operatr 12 46% Serviced Accmmdatin Operatr 8 31% Activities Operatr 3 11% Restaurant/Café 2 8% Arts & Crafts Operatr 1 4% Table Business Survey Respndents by Lcatin Lcatin f Business N. f Respndents % f Respndents Gairlch 10 38% Aultbea/Plewe 6 22% Dundnnell/Laide 2 8% Kinlchewe/Lch Maree 2 8% Trridn/Sheildaig 2 8% Applecrss 1 4% Lchcarrn 1 4% N Respnse 2 8% 8

9 These survey respnses are very much skewed twards the accmmdatin sectr and the parts f Wester Rss where Visit Wester Rss has the majrity f its members. It is nticeable that there are n respnses frm businesses in Ullapl and Cigach and lw levels f respnse frm businesses in Applecrss and Lchcarrn. Despite these weaknesses, the survey des prvide sme indicatins f trends in lcal turism and pssible pririties fr its future develpment Stakehlder Cnsultatins The aim f these cnsultatins was t gather views, cmments and suggestins frm stakehlders in partner agencies and businesses with whm Visit Wester Rss currently wrks. A number f cnsultees suggested further individuals t cntact and, in the end, cnsultatins were held with 23 representatives f 19 agencies r facilities. The majrity f cnsultatins were held face t face, with a minrity just under 20% - being cnducted by telephne. The full list f stakehlder cnsultees was as fllws - Sctt Armstrng, VisitSctland Reginal Partnerships Directr Nrth f Sctland - Leah Ball, Gairlch & Lch Ewe Actin Frum (GALE), Turist Infrmatin Officer - Gareth Clingan, Natinal Trust fr Sctland, General Manager, Nrth West Highlands - Alec Crmack, Lchcarrn & District Business Assciatin Membership Secretary and Visit Wester Rss Cmmittee Member - Fran Cree, Finncrft B&B and Self Catering & Visit Wester Rss Chair - Maren Ebeling, Scttish Natural Heritage, Turism Officer - Claire Farquhar, Nrth Highland Initiative, Cmmunicatins & Prject Manager - Judith Fish, Applecrss Inn Owner & Applecrss Cmmunity Cmpany Chair - Mary Gibsn, Scttish Natural Heritage, Area Officer - Rsalyn Glding, Gairlch Heritage Museum, Prject Curatr - Paula Grdn, Isle f Ewe Smkehuse Owner & Visit Wester Rss Cmmittee Member - Sharn Lngley, The Old Inn, Gairlch & Gairlch Highland Ldge, Manager - Jack Mackay, Frestry Cmmissin Sctland, Inverness, Rss & Skye Frest District - Hazel MacLean, Frestry Cmmissin Sctland, Nrth Highlands Frest District - Stuart MacPhersn, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, Head f Operatins, LSWR - Janet Miles, Gairlch & Lch Ewe Actin Frum (GALE), General Manager 9

10 - Gerge Milne, Russian Arctic Cnvy Museum Prject Chair - Kevin Peach, Ullapl Harbur Trust, CEO & Harburmaster - Alastair Pearsn, The Old Inn, Gairlch & Gairlch Highland Ldge, Owner/Prprietr - Dan Rse-Bristw, The Trridn Htel & Trridn Inn, Owner/Prprietr - Clin Simpsn, Highland Cuncil, Turism C-rdinatr - Philip Waite, Highland Cuncil, Access Officer Rss & Crmarty - Mat Webster, Scttish Yuth Hstels Assciatin & Visit Wester Rss Cmmittee Member - Emma Whitham, Highland Cuncil, Prject Manager Sincere thanks are due t all cnsultees fr their time and input t this Turism Develpment Strategy Wester Rss Visitr Prducts & Services Audit The cmpilatin f such an audit was nt within the riginal brief fr this prject. Hwever, as research, surveys and cnsultatins prgressed, it became bvius that there was a lack f clarity abut what exactly Wester Rss has t ffer visitrs and what its prduct/service strengths and weaknesses are. Therefre, we decided that an audit wuld help t prvide sme level f empirical data that culd prvide a mre rbust platfrm frm which t develp prpsals and recmmendatins fr a Turism Develpment Strategy. The audit was cmpiled thrugh analysis f nline and printed infrmatin surces, and, in sme cases, by simply nting facilities and peratrs during visits t the area. Like all audits f this nature, it cannt claim t be 100% accurate, particularly as nt all lcal peratrs appear t have an n-line presence r advertise in lcal listings and publicatins. Similarly, we strngly suspect that sme f the nline infrmatin surces t which we referred may be ut f date. Therefre, sme f the facilities in the audit may n lnger be perating. In additin, we fund many examples where different surces f infrmatin use different names fr facilities. This is particularly true f walks in the area, where a single walk culd be called several different names. We have attempted t identify and remve all duplicated facilities, but undubtedly will have missed sme due t ur lack f detailed lcal knwledge. 10

11 It shuld als be nted that there are a number f facilities and services in this audit that are nt bviusly visitr fcused but are, nnetheless, members f lcal business assciatins that are active in the turism sectr. We have included such facilities n the grunds that it is nt fr us t determine wh is and wh isn t wrking with turism markets. In additin, a number f peratrs have entries under mre than ne categry. This is t recgnise that they ffer and actively prmte a variety f different prducts and services. Overall, the audit identified just ver 1,000 different prducts and services in Wester Rss. The table belw breaks these dwn by type and lcatin. Table Wester Rss Visitr Prducts & Services by Type & Lcatin Type f Prduct r Service Accmmdatin Caravan & Camping Parks Accmmdatin Guest Huses & B&Bs Accmmdatin Hstels Accmmdatin Htels Accmmdatin Sprting Ldges Accmmdatin Self Catering Activities Angling Activities Cycling Activities Equestrian Activities Field Sprts Activities Glf Activities Indr Activities Marine N in N in N in N in Achiltibuie/ Apple- Aultbea/ Dundnnell/ Cigach crss Plewe Laide N in N in N in N in N in TOTAL Gairlch Kinlchewe/ Lchcarrn/ Trridn/ Ullapl Lch Maree Strathcarrn Sheildaig

12 Type f Prduct r Service Activities Others Activities Outdr Activities Sailing Activities Walking N in N in N in N in N in Achiltibuie/ Apple- Aultbea/ Dundnnell/ Gairlch Cigach crss Plewe Laide N in N in N in N in TOTAL Kinlchewe/ Lchcarrn/ Trridn/ Ullapl Lch Maree Strathcarrn Sheildaig Arts & Crafts Business Services Cmmunity Grups Events Fd & Drink Frests & Gardens Heritage Mtrist Services Nature Public Services Retail General Retail Specialist Trades & Services Transprt & Turs Visitr Infrmatin Websites TOTAL

13 An appendix at the end f this reprt prvides an Excel spreadsheet that lists all the entries included in the audit. What the audit shws is that there is an impressive spread f facilities acrss all parts f Wester Rss with the main clusters being in the three largest ppulatin centres f Gairlch, Lchcarrn and Ullapl. It is interesting t nte that, f the ther smaller cmmunities, Achiltibuie & Cigach has the largest number f facilities largely thanks t its wide range f self catering accmmdatin. The audit highlights the strength f the nn-serviced accmmdatin sectr in Wester Rss. Using available data and cnservative estimates where relevant data is nt available, we estimate that there are just ver 5,300 visitr bedspaces available in Wester Rss at peak seasn. These are brken dwn as fllws. Table Breakdwn f Visitr Bedspaces by Type Accmmdatin Type N. f Bedspaces Explanatin Camping & Caravan Parks 2,010 Based n 2 persns per pitch Guest Huses/B&Bs 640 Based n estimate f 4 beds per prperty unless therwise specified by peratrs Hstels 325 Based n actual capacity figures Htels 860 Based n 2 persns per rm unless therwise specified by peratrs Sprting Ldges 150 Based n actual capacity figures Self Catering Prperties 1,330 Based n 4 persns per prperty unless therwise specified.by peratrs TOTAL 5,315 This table highlights that almst 70% f peak seasn bedspaces in the area are in the nnserviced accmmdatin sectr. This maybe reflects the prprtinately high use f lcal husing stck as secnd r hliday hmes. It is als interesting t nte that the area has capacity t increase its ppulatin by almst 90% in peak seasn. 13

14 The audit als indicates that Wester Rss has a strng critical mass f prduct and services in the Activities sectr particularly walking -, Arts & Crafts and Fd & Drink. Cnversely, the Heritage sectr appears t be relatively weak, which perhaps is n great surprise given that Wester Rss has n genuinely icnic built heritage such as castles, churches r histric huses that are pen t the public. Similarly, the Speciality Retail sectr appears t be under represented, althugh this is at least partly ffset by the strength f the Arts & Crafts sectr. Overall, the audit reinfrces perceptins that Wester Rss has an extensive utdr visitr ffer, but significantly fewer indr r all-weather facilities Audit f Wester Rss Organisatins Finally, at a late stage in the preparatin f this reprt, it was decided t undertake an audit f all rganisatins in Wester Rss with any direct r indirect interest in turism and visitrs. The aim f this audit was t try t identify what des what in relatin t turism in the area and hw they generate funding fr their activities. Thrugh this audit, which is detailed in Appendix 2 at the end f this reprt, we identified 18 lcal rganisatins that undertake sme degree f visitr facing activity. We have nly included thse rganisatins whse nline infrmatin specifically highlights turism related activities. Cnsequently, the audit includes sme lcal Cmmunity Cuncils, but nt thers whse minutes and reprts make n direct reference t turism. Of these 18 rganisatins, nly Visit Wester Rss fcuses slely n visitr related activities and cvers the whle f the regin. Other rganisatins cmbine turism-related activities with ther wider ecnmic, envirnmental r scial prjects. We als identified a further 10 websites that prvide visitr facing infrmatin abut Wester Rss and include listings f lcal businesses. We felt it useful t include these websites in the audit as a number f them rank very highly n search engines. We have nt included the websites f individual businesses that may prvide wider lcal infrmatin. It is unclear wh set up and manages a number f these websites and hw up t date sme f the infrmatin n them actually is. Hwever, as an example, the website is uncredited and appears t include infrmatin that has nt been updated since Hwever, it still ranks first n searches under Ullapl and may still be search engine ptimised. 14

15 The audit highlights that there is an extensive range n nline infrmatin abut Wester Rss, sme f which is f uncertain prvenance and accuracy but is still likely t be accessed and used by ptential visitrs t the area. 5. THE NATIONAL & REGIONAL TOURISM CONTEXT As previusly stated, any Wester Rss Turism Develpment Strategy must recgnise, align with and draw benefits frm turism strategies at natinal and reginal level. Belw we summarise the main strategic dcuments with which Wester Rss must wrk Turism Sctland 2020 Develpment Framewrk The natinal Turism Sctland 2020 Develpment Framewrk prjects that the main grwth markets fr Scttish turism will be the Hme Turf (i.e. dmestic UK markets) and Near Neighburs (i.e. Western Eurpean markets). These markets will be attracted t Sctland in increasing numbers by Prviding Authentic Experiences and Imprving the Custmer Jurney. Prviding Authentic Experiences will fcus n imprving the visitr experience in fur main areas. Nature, Heritage & Activities. Destinatins, Twns & Cities. Business Turism. Events & Festivals. Imprving the Custmer Jurney will fcus als fcus n fur main areas. Fd & Drink. Transprt. Accmmdatin. Digital Cnnectivity. The natinal framewrk identifies fur main areas where Scttish turism will need t build its capabilities in rder t deliver strategic turism bjectives. Quality & Skills 15

16 Marketing Sustainable Turism. Leadership & Cllabratin Highland Turism Actin Plan 2020 The Highland Turism Actin Plan 2020, which has been prduced by the Highland Area Turism partnership, utlines the pririties and activities that will be undertaken t grw turism in the Highlands between 2014 and These pririties and activities align with the natinal framewrk and identify six key assets with real grwth ptential in the Highlands. Activities & Adventure. Business Turism. Cruises. Glf. Muntain Biking. Sailing. The Highland Actin Plan identifies three key areas f activity that need t be addressed t grw turism acrss the regin. Each f these three areas f activity identify a number f specific pririties. Marketing. Imprving links between destinatin rganisatins and VisitSctland marketing activity. Encuraging jint activity and crss prmtin between destinatin rganisatins. Prducing a plan fr the future delivery f visitr infrmatin in the Highlands. Advcacy n key issues t ensure the needs f turism and turism businesses are recgnised. Bradband prvisin. Mbile cnnectivity. Strategic transprt infrastructure. Public transprt. Imprving the Turism Prduct 16

17 Enhancing the gathering and analysis f custmer feedback. Prviding a range f events that supprt and encurage business develpment. Enhancing custmer service thrugh the Natinal Skills Strategy fr Turism. Imprving infrastructure that supprts ptential grwth markets VisitSctland Target Segments VisitSctland has undertaken a segmentatin exercise that identifies 5 UK market segments that are likely t prvide the best return n marketing investment. These segments will be given pririty in VisitSctland s UK marketing prgrammes and are as fllws. Adventure Seekers, wh seek active hlidays where they can enjy bth utdr and cultural activities that push their limits and experiences. Curius Travellers, wh enjy travelling as a hbby and have an verwhelming desire t explre new destinatins and discver new things. Engaged Sightseers, wh take numerus breaks in a year and enjy general sightseeing and turing. Fd-Lving Culturalists, wh enjy shrt breaks in the UK and seek ut relaxing experiences with great fd and drink and engaging cultural experiences. Natural Advcates, wh are passinate abut Sctland where they unwind, recharge and enjy quiet time. A similar segmentatin exercise has nt been undertaken fr verseas markets. Hwever, Internatinal Passenger Survey (IPS) figures fr the Highlands in 2013 indicate that the three main verseas markets in the regin are Germany (20% f verseas visitr trips & 15% f verseas visitr spend) USA (14% f verseas visitr trips & 15% f verseas visitr spend) France (12% f verseas visitr trips & 11% f verseas visitr spend). 17

18 6. STRENGTHS, OPPORTUNITIES, INHIBITORS & THREATS This sectin f this reprt seeks t pull tgether and summarise the main findings f the Visitr Survey, Business Survey and Stakehlder Cnsultatins. These three exercises generated a wide range f cmments and pinins frm ver 80 individuals with an interest r stake in turism in Wester Rss. We have sught t identify the main themes and issues that were raised Visitr Survey The Visitr Survey indicated a high level f lyalty t Wester Rss, with 43% f respndents nrmally visiting the area nce a year and 27% visiting mre regularly. This respnse may be expected as cmmitted Wester Rss enthusiasts are mst likely t respnd t a survey f this nature. Almst half f respndents nrmally visit the area in July r August, althugh ver a third are likely t visit in bth May/June and September/Octber. 1 week is the mst cmmn length f stay, althugh a quarter will nrmally stay fr 2 weeks per visit. Scenery is the mst ppular element f Wester Rss, cited by 78% f respndents as ne f the aspects f the area they mst enjy. The friendly lcal peple and wildlife are the next mst ppular elements f a visit and are bth cited by 22% f respndents. The activities that visitrs mst enjy in Wester Rss are walking (54% f respndents); enjying the scenery (35% f respndents); eating ut (als 35%); relaxing (24%) and watching wildlife (22%). When asked what elements and aspects f Wester Rss culd be imprved, 30% f respndents identified n need fr any imprvements. Mst f these respndents als included a cmment abut nt ver develping r spiling Wester Rss. 16% identified a need fr better visitr infrmatin prvisin and 11% identified a lack f places t visit ut f seasn. Finally, respndents were asked the main things that Visit Wester Rss culd d t encurage them t visit the area mre ften. A quarter cited prviding mre visitr infrmatin. Mst 18

19 respndents cited particular types f infrmatin, mst cmmnly infrmatin n lcal walks and wildlife. Mre visitr infrmatin was the nly respnse cited by mre than 10% f respndents Visit Wester Rss Members Survey 62% f respndents t this survey indicated that they perate their business all year rund. Thse wh perate seasnally nly primarily pen frm Easter Octber. A majrity f respndents identified UK visitrs as their main market, althugh ver a quarter als identified Eurpean visitrs as an imprtant market segment in the peak seasn mnths. A third f respndents identified that cuples represent a main visitr market fr their business. A quarter identified family grups as a key segment fr their business. When asked if they had nticed any changes t visitr types in recent years, a third f respndents had nt. Hwever, just ver a quarter identified an increase in the number f Eurpean visitrs. N ther changes were identified by mre than 2 respndents. When asked t identify any changes in visitr expectatins and behaviur in recent years, ver 60% f respndents cited greater demand fr wi-fi facilities and 40% identified greater use f n-line bking. 15% als identified a mve twards shrter average lengths f stay. Hwever, almst 20% identified n change in visitr expectatins and behaviur. Respndents were asked which elements f Wester Rss their feedback suggests that visitrs mst enjy. As with the visitr survey, scenery was identified as the mst ppular element f Wester Rss, cited by three-quarters f business respndents. The next mst cited elements were wildlife, walking and peace & quiet, which were all cited by a third f business respndents. When asked what elements f Wester Rss they felt visitrs wuld mst like t see imprved, a quarter f respndents cited the quality f rads, while better public transprt, better signage f walking rutes and better wi-fi speeds and mbile phne receptin were all cited by just ver 10% f respndents. Just ver 10% f respndents identified the rads, lw level walking rutes and public transprt as pririty areas that need t be addressed t grw turism in Wester Rss. Imprving the lcal fd and drink ffer was als identified as a pririty by just ver 10% f respndents. 19

20 Finally, when asked t identify the biggest challenges and barriers t grwing turism in Wester Rss, just under 20% f respndents cited the weather, bth in terms f visitr perceptins f the lcal weather and the adverse impact weather has had n the 2015 seasn. 15% cited midges r, again, visitr perceptins f midges in the area. 15% f respndents highlighted cncerns abut a lack f available funding t maintain and imprve lcal facilities and just ver 10% raised cncerns abut a lack f c-peratin and cllabratin between lcal agencies and lcal businesses Stakehlder Cnsultatins The Stakehlder Cnsultatins prvided pprtunities t test sme f the utcmes f the visitr and business surveys, but als identified a number f clear themes and specific issues in their wn right, including the fllwing.. - Wester Rss is an area f small, scattered cmmunities with little culture f wrking tgether. There is als ften limited cllabratin between businesses in individual cmmunities. Despite sme specific examples t the cntrary, many businesses tend t d their wn thing in terms f bth marketing and prduct develpment. - Lcal businesses can feel remte frm reginal and natinal agencies wh they feel tend t engage in limited lcal cllabratin. Businesses and rganisatins have limited awareness and understanding f natinal r reginal turism strategies. - Althugh they understand the reasns behind them, businesses and rganisatins have cncerns abut reductins in public sectr spending n maintenance f lcal infrastructure - rads in particular. - Seasnality is a majr issue which sme stakehlders believe is becming mre rather than less prnunced, althugh thers cnsider t have becme less f an issue. A number f stakehlders nted that, while demand fr accmmdatin can utstrip supply fr 3 4 weeks a year, ther times f year are very quiet. - Linked t seasnality are majr issues f staff recruitment and retentin, and a lack f affrdable husing fr key staff. Many businesses have t bring staff int the area, but the 20

21 relatively shrt seasn and the lack f affrdable accmmdatin makes it difficult t attract quality, experienced peple. - A significant minrity f lcal turism peratrs are perceived t be lifestyle businesses with little inclinatin t grw their custmer base. A number f stakehlders cmmented that the prprtinately large scale f the lcal, self catering sectr may reflect either businesses mving ut f bed & breakfast peratins r secnd hme wners being unable t sell their prperties. - Ntwithstanding the abve, sme stakehlders cmmented that lcal accmmdatin standards and prfessinalism in the accmmdatin sectr have imprved in recent years and quality peratrs are able t attract year-rund business. - A lack f public transprt is seen as a key issue by many stakehlders, particularly in terms f transprt t mve visitrs arund the area nce they have arrived. It was cmmented that visitrs staying in the main accmmdatin centres have little ptin but t use private cars t get t the main attractins and facilities in the area. - There is general supprt fr the develpment f marine turism in the area, particularly in and arund Gairlch and Ullapl. This culd encmpass marine wildlife watching, sailing, activities such as kayaking, and cruise ships. A number f stakehlders als supprted the reintrductin f sme frm f passenger ferry service between Wester Rss and Skye. - Stakehlders cmmented n the imprtance f pre-arrival n-line infrmatin as mre and mre visitrs undertake a grwing amunt f nline research befre cming t the area. The grwing influence f nline review sites was als mentined. Cncerns were expressed that sme lcal peratrs have nt fully embraced IT and scial media. - In general, stakehlders cmmented n imprvements in the lcal fd and drink ffer in recent years, but highlighted that quality is still variable and mre needs t be dne t drive standards up further. - Stakehlders supprted the survey finding abut the imprtance f walking as a visitr activity in the area. A number cmmented n a need fr enhanced signage and prmtin f easier, lwer level walks that appeal t less cmmitted walkers. 21

22 - There is cnsiderable lcal excitement abut the newly launched Nrth Cast 500 initiative. It is seem as ffering particular ptential t grw turism in the area and a number f stakehlders stated that they had already generated additinal business thrugh it. - Stakehlders expressed very mixed views n the current and ptential value f Wester Rss as a turism brand. Rughly half felt that further develpment f an area brand is key t grwing turism, but the ther half felt that marketing emphasis shuld be given t individual villages and cmmunities as they are currently better knwn than Wester Rss as a whle. - Finally, each part f Wester Rss appears t perceive that ther parts f the area are perfrming better than them in terms f visitr ffer and visitr numbers. In particular, Applecrss and Cigach are perceived t be areas that are particularly active in develping visitr facilities and successful at attracting mre visitrs. This is at least partly attributed t them being smaller, mre chesive cmmunities that have lcal Develpment Officers t supprt cmmunity-led initiatives NEW INVESTMENTS & PROJECTS There are a number f cmmitted r prpsed new prjects and investments that will impact n turism in Wester Rss and f which any Turism Develpment Strategy must be aware. The main nes include the fllwing. - A new Eurpean LEADER prgramme is due t cme n stream in early 2016 and shuld prvide additinal funding fr turism prjects. We understand that this will be directed thrugh a Wester Rss Lcal Actin Grup. This prgramme may ffer ptential t secure funding supprt fr varius elements f this Turism Develpment Strategy. - The Nrth Cast 500 turing rute has been launched in spring 2015 by the Nrth Highland Initiative and prmtes a 500 mile rad rute arund the casts f the Nrth and Nrthwest Highlands. The rute starts and finishes in Inverness and a large prprtin f the rute passes thrugh Wester Rss. The rute has already attracted significant media cverage and significant further prmtin and develpment is planned. 22

23 - Natinal Trust fr Sctland have cmmitted t a large scale develpment f new facilities at Inverewe Gardens, the first phase f which is due t pen t the public in Spring Inverewe has traditinally been the mst ppular visitr attractin in Wester Rss, but has suffered frm declining visitr numbers in recent years. The new investment is a signature prject fr NTS and is intended t attract new and additinal visitrs. - Scttish Natural Heritage is crdinating a cmmunity-led prject t secure UNESCO Bisphere Reserve accreditatin fr Wester Rss. This wuld prvide internatinal recgnitin f prgrammes and prjects fr the sustainable management f lcal landscapes, ec-systems and species and culd highlight the envirnmental qualities f the area and stimulate and supprt sustainable turism develpment prjects. Securing UNESCO accreditatin will take a minimum f three years. - Gairlch Museum has secured Rund 1 Heritage Lttery Fund supprt fr a feasibility study int the develpment f a larger, mre varied facility at a Wrld War 2 building in the village. If further HLF funding can be secured, it is hped that wrk n the new facility can begin in 2017 with cmpletin and public pening in The Russian Arctic Cnvy Museum Prject is a vlunteer initiative t deliver a 3 phase prject t interpret and prmte the stry f the Arctic cnvys that perated ut f Lch Ewe during Wrld War 2. There is already a variety f interpretive material n the grund alng Lch Ewe and the prject aims t frmalise this int a trail that visitrs can fllw, establish a temprary exhibitin in Inverasdale Schl and finally set up a permanent museum facility in Aultbea. Timescales and funding fr this prject are still t be cnfirmed - Highland Cuncil are currently reviewing their Wester Rss Cre Path Netwrk. While this review is nt expected t result in significant changes t the netwrk, it may lead t the additin f a small number f lnger distance rutes. - Highland Cuncil have als undertaken a Wester Rss Natinal Scenic Area Envirnmental Imprvements Optins Appraisal which has identified a number f pprtunities fr enhanced visitr interpretatin and rientatin facilities within the NSA. We understand that budgets are in place t take frward prjects if prpsals are apprved by elected members. 23

24 - Frestry Cmmissin Sctland have undertaken a significant investment n new paths at Lael Frest Gardens, which is the mst nrtherly part f the Natinal Tree Cllectin f Sctland. Further investment is planned ver the cming winter. FCS has als drawn up prpsals t enhance walking rutes and viewpints at Slattadale and Victria Falls. All f these prjects and thers have ptential t enhance the visitr experience in Wester Rss. 8. WESTER ROSS TOURISM DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY INTRODUCTION The prpsed strategy that we utline belw fllws the rcket mdel used in the natinal Turism Sctland 2020 Develpment Framewrk. This mdel has been adpted by a number f area turism partnerships acrss Sctland t identify and priritise develpment pprtunities. The rcket cvers the fllwing key tpics. Visin What type f visitr destinatin des an area want t be? Missin What is the strategy trying t achieve? Aim What are the measurable bjectives f the strategy? Target Markets What types f visitrs des an area aim t attract? Fundatins What are the current inhibitrs and threats t grwing turism in an area; what are an area s key strengths and pprtunities; and what is the strategic cntext in which a strategy will be implemented? Prviding Authentic Experiences What are the pririty experiences an area will ffer t attract increased visitr numbers? Imprving the Custmer Jurney What are the key pprtunities t make it easier fr visitrs t enjy an area? Building Capacity & Capability What needs t be put in place t ensure an area is able t deliver its strategy? We will nw cnsider each f these tpics in greater detail. 9. VISION We prpse the fllwing visin fr turism in Wester Rss. 24

25 Wester Rss will be a first chice Highland destinatin fr lyal repeat visitrs and new high spending visitrs wh seek authentic, fulfilling and memrable experiences delivered by peple wh wrk tgether t extend the turism seasn by sharing their passin fr their unspiled landscapes and cmmunities. This visin incrprates the fllwing key elements. Wrking with the Highlands brand t psitin Wester Rss as a cre cmpnent f a visit t the internatinally recgnised Scttish Highlands. Reducing seasnality t supprt mre secure quality emplyment and business grwth. Attracting new types f visitrs while retaining and grwing existing visitr markets. Fcussing n the visitr experience and the benefits f a visit t Wester Rss as the key elements f turism success. Enhancing practive cllabratin between lcal businesses, rganisatins and cmmunities. Drawing n and celebrating the passin f lcal residents fr Wester Rss. Prtecting and enhancing the special envirnmental and scial qualities f Wester Rss. The recmmended Visin takes a lng term view that is unlikely t be achieved within the 5 years f this Turism Develpment Strategy. Hwever, this Strategy shuld act as a catalyst t businesses and rganisatins wrking tgether t take the first steps twards achieving the Visin. 10. MISSION We prpse that the missin f the Wester Rss Turism Develpment Strategy shuld be as fllws. T bring lcal businesses, rganisatins and cmmunities thrughut the area tgether t cllabrate n develping and prmting high quality prducts and services that deliver authentic experiences t an expanded range f visitr types in rder t grw turism in a sustainable manner that creates pprtunities fr lcal peple, enhances ecnmic perfrmance and cntributes t scial chesin. 25

26 The key elements f this missin are as fllws. The fundamental imprtance f cllabratin and wrking in partnership t achieve cmmn bjectives. The need t deliver quality and authenticity t visitrs. The imprtance f ecnmic and scial sustainability. Recgnitin that any grwth in turism shuld deliver benefits t individuals and cmmunities as well as businesses and shuld enhance quality f life in Wester Rss. 11. AIM Any aims f a turism develpment strategy shuld incrprate measurable bjectives. In turism, these are usually expressed as measurements that prject a change in the value f visitr spend in an area. Fr example, the natinal Turism Sctland 2020 Develpment Framewrk aims t increase the value f visitr spend acrss Sctland frm 5 t 6.5 billin p/a by Unfrtunately, there are n up-t-date figures fr the value f turism within Wester Rss. Any ecnmic data we have been able t surce either incrprates neighburing areas such as Lchalsh, Skye and Strathpeffer r dates back t at least Hwever, we prpse the fllwing aim fr the Wester Rss Turism Develpment Strategy. T increase the cntributin f turism t all businesses and cmmunities in Wester Rss by encuraging new partnerships and cllabratins that extend the turism seasn, attract new visitr markets and ffer additinal, high quality and authentic visitr experiences. Again, this aim fcusses n the key elements f - Cllabratin and partnership wrking. Seasnality. Attracting additinal visitrs. Delivering quality and authenticity. We suggest that grwth in turism culd be measured by the fllwing criteria fr which we believe sme frm f benchmarks already exist. 26

27 The number f turism-related businesses in the area. (Available frm the audit carried ut fr this reprt). The percentage f turism-related businesses perating year-rund. (Available frm the business survey carried ut fr this reprt. Mre wrk is required t cnfirm the baseline figure). The number f new cllabrative prjects between turism businesses, rganisatins and agencies (As this measures new cllabratins, it starts frm a baseline f zer). Emplyment within the distributin, htels and catering sectr. (Available frm Highland Cuncil). Visitr numbers t lcal attractins and facilities. (Available frm the Scttish Visitr Attractin Mnitr). The number f average daily car jurneys made n key access rutes int the area. (Available frm the Department f Transprt). 12. TARGET MARKETS Feedback frm lcal businesses and key stakehlders highlights the imprtance f lcal markets t turism in Wester Rss, specifically day and shrt break visitrs frm what culd be termed the Inner Mray Firth the castal areas arund Inverness which are within 2 hurs travel time f Wester Rss. There is a widespread view that these lcal markets ffer significant ptential fr grwth and culd be expanded as truck rad imprvements, such as the dualling f the A9, bring mre parts f Sctland within a 2 hur drive time f Wester Rss. We agree with this view and recmmend that such lcal markets shuld cntinue t be practively targeted. We suggest that mre value culd be generated frm these markets thrugh increased cllabratin t create infrmal packages f day and shrt break experiences that can be tailred t the requirement s f individual visitrs. Hwever, at the same time, we recgnise that the ttal ppulatin resident within 2 hurs f Wester Rss is very small in UK terms and is unlikely t sustain a prsperus lcal turism sectr n its wn. Therefre, ther markets will need t be targeted. 27

28 Given the advantages f alignment with natinal and reginal turism strategies, we recmmend that turism businesses and agencies in Wester Rss shuld fcus n targeting the VisitSctland pririty UK market segments mst likely t generate additinal and new types f visitrs t the area. Each f the five VisitSctland pririty segments presents pprtunities and challenges in terms f attracting them t Wester Rss. The Fd-Lving Culturalists segment, while the mst affluent f the five pririty segments, is primarily fcussed n city based breaks with a strng chice f cultural activities. We d nt recmmend that Wester Rss targets this segment. The Curius Travellers segment is the largest f the five segments in terms f size and enjys histry and culture as well as scenery and landscapes and trying new things. Wester Rss may nt meet this segment s expectatins in terms f histry and culture. In additin, this segment tend t reject hlidays that invlve ging back t the same place r ding the same things. Given the limited ptential t generate lyalty and repeat visits, we d nt recmmend that Wester Rss targets this segment. Engaged Sightseers are the least affluent and the ldest f the five pririty segments. They enjy turing and general sightseeing and tend t reject hlidays that are t adventurus and take them ut f their cmfrt zne. They are abve average hliday makers but mre price sensitive that ther segments. Perceptins f distance may be a barrier t sme. We d nt recmmend that Wester Rss targets this segment. This leaves tw pririty UK market segments n which we recmmend that businesses and rganisatins shuld fcus in rder t grw business and reduce seasnality. Adventure Seekers are an affluent and yunger segment that seeks active hlidays where they can enjy bth utdr and cultural activities. They will venture ff the beaten track t try new things and push their limits. Hlidays really energise them and they are particularly attracted by Sctland s scenery and unspilt nature. They are abve average hliday takers wh are mst likely t cnsider Sctland fr a shrt break f 1 6 nights and are mre likely than ther segments t stay in campsites r hstels. We suggest that this segment ffers the greatest ptential t attract yunger, mre adventurus, mre affluent visitrs t Wester Rss at different times f year. 28

29 Natural Advcates are the segment mst likely t be resident in Sctland and mst likely t cnsider Sctland fr their main hliday f the year. They are predminantly aged and are passinate abut Sctland which ffers everything they want frm a hliday scenery, unspilt nature and getting away frm it all. They enjy gentle utdr activities sme may travel with a dg and are abve average users f self catering accmmdatin. They feel they knw Sctland well and 95% intend t spend mre time in Sctland in the future. We suggest this segment is the ne mst clsely aligned t the visitr experiences Wester Rss can currently ffer and the ne with the greatest ptential fr develping repeat visits. It shuld be stressed that the tw UK pririty market segments that we recmmend are in additin t the visitr markets that currently cme t Wester Rss. All lcal turism businesses and rganisatins shuld be wrking t encurage additinal repeat visits and recmmendatins/referrals frm existing markets and shuld cnsider hw they can encurage additinal shulder and ff seasn visits frm them. In terms f verseas target markets, while resurces are likely t limit the extent t which they can be practively targeted, we recmmend that pririty shuld be given t tw f ur near neighburs wh ffer the greatest pprtunities t reach at relatively lw cst. Germany generates 15% f verseas visitr spend in the Highlands, cmpared t 10% f verseas visitr spend acrss Sctland as a whle. It is ne f the UK s Tp 3 inbund markets. Germans like histry and famus sites, while wildlife sptting in the Highlands appeals t them. They prefer accmmdatin with character and plan itineraries in advance in cnsiderable detail. France generates 11% f verseas visitr spend in the Highlands, cmpared t 6% acrss Sctland as a whle. It is anther f the UK s Tp 3 inbund markets. The French like scenic natural beauty and wildlife sptting in the Highlands als appeals t them. They als enjy shpping. French visitrs tend t stay in mid-range accmmdatin with en-suite facilities. Almst a third f French visitr t the UK travel as part f a tur grup. In summary, we recmmend that the Wester Rss Turism Develpment Strategy shuld fcus n develping and prmting prducts and services that meet the requirements and expectatins f five key market segments. Lcal Residents within 2 Hurs Drive Time 29

30 UK Adventure Seekers UK Natural Advcates German Visitrs French Visitrs We suggest that these are the market segments that ffer the greatest ptential fr year-rund business grwth acrss all sectrs f the lcal turism industry. Hwever, we d recmmend that the relevance f key target markets shuld be kept under review n an n-ging basis t ensure new market pprtunities are nt missed. Fr example, the intrductin f new rutes int Inverness Airprt may pen up new pprtunities that Wester Rss wuld be flish t ignre. 13. FOUNDATIONS This sectin f the Turism Develpment Strategy cnsiders the current barriers r inhibitrs t grwing turism in the area and the key strengths and pprtunities t increase the value f turism thrughut Wester Rss. A sectin n fundatins nrmally includes discussin f the strategic cntext within which a Turism Develpment Strategy will perate. Hwever, we have already discussed this in sectin 5 f this reprt and will nt repeat urselves here Current Barriers and Inhibitrs Our surveys and cnsultatins have identified the fllwing as the main barriers t the grwth f turism in Wester Rss. Lack f Cllabratin where scattered and fragmented cmmunities and businesses have a limited culture f wrking tgether and tend t d their wn thing. Seasnality where a significant prprtin f peratrs pen fr limited perids f the year r reduce pening hurs utside the shrt main seasn. This restricts ptential t bth grw ff-seasn business and recruit and retain skilled staff. The latter barrier is exacerbated by a lack f affrdable husing fr key staff. 30