walking tourism - visitscotland 02 walking tourism.pdf · innovation in product and service...

1walking tourism...

opportunitiesfor growth

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“We need to stay ahead of the game,keep on top of market trends and bequick to respond with developmentand enhancement of our own productsand services. Only then can weensure that we’re always ready toexceed our customers expectationsand so build our reputation as amust visit, must return destination”THE INDUSTRY STRATEGY,SCOTTISH TOURISM – THE NEXT DECADE

1 Walking Tourism2 Scottish Tourism in the Future3 Knowing Our Markets... Scotland’s Visitors

PDF copies are available for all guides in the serieson www.tourism-intelligence.co.uk

These guides are written forScottish tourism businesses tooffer relevant insights to helpgrow their businesses andenhance the experience we offer our visitors. 1

walking tourism...

opportunitiesfor growth

Other specialist guidesListening To Our Visitors: A practical guide to using feedback Scotland’s Historic Properties: Visiting the Future

Walking in G

len Finnan, Highland

P Tomkins

Front coverThe signpost for the Southern Upland Way at the Yair Bridgeover the River Tweed

D. Barnes

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Innovation in product and service development, and in business processes, is key to thefuture competitiveness of the Scottish tourism industry. This reflects a fast changingconsumer market place and the need for Scotland to continually enhance its tourismproduct to keep pace with growing competition.

Good market intelligence is a key driver of innovation and enterprise. To support theindustry in this area, a new joint initiative has been developed by Scottish Enterprise,Highlands & Islands Enterprise and VisitScotland, in partnership with the tourismindustry. Tourism Intelligence Scotland is a key initiative in supporting the Scottishtourism industry to achieve the 50% growth target set out in the Tourism Frameworkfor Change.

The specific objectives of Tourism Intelligence Scotland are:

1 To promote a strong market and customer focus in Scottish tourism at all levels: Scottish, destination/local and business.

2 To ensure that the right intelligence is gathered and proactively disseminated to the industry.

3 To promote an exchange of market intelligence around the industry and to facilitate a dialogue about implications and follow-through action.

4 To ensure that public and private sector resources in this area are applied effectively and in a co-ordinated way.

5 To identify and learn from best practice in market intelligence gathering and dissemination locally, nationally and internationally.

6 To promote awareness of competitor destinations and provide a basis for strategies to build competitive advantage for Scotland and Scottish businesses.

7 To create a cultural change in the industry in relation to the gathering and use of market intelligence that supports the objectives of industry groups such as the Tourism Innovation Group.

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1 settingoutThe OpportunityWe have all heard how tourism is changing. Not just here but around the world. More than ever, people are looking for authenticity and rejuvenation and are more focussed on well-being and enhancing their quality of life. Above all peoplewant to spend time on things that matter to them andreawaken the spirit within. What better place to do this than in Scotland, with its rugged beauty, remote landscapes andfriendly hospitable people. How better to do this than bywalking. By walking we don’t just mean the energetic hikes toconquer the next Munro, or Corbett, but all types of walking.From a gentle stroll by a loch, to a walk in the forest alongsome well marked paths. It may also be a city walk in themany parklands or along a nearby beach. Indeed, it is also the challenge and sport of some of the best mountains andhills in the world and the most interesting long distance routesavailable anywhere. Yes, we are world class and famous for it.

Walking, in all its forms, is fast becoming one of the mostpopular activities that people undertake while on a holidayin Scotland and this is set to grow. Scenario planners atVisitScotland tell us that by 2015 walking tourism is likely to contribute up to 22% of the overall UK tourism revenue in Scotland.

In November 2005, a joint research project on ‘walking’ was carried out; ‘Investigating and enhancing the walkingexperience in Scotland’ was a joint research project byVisitScotland, Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Natural Heritageand Forestry Commission Scotland. This table summarisesthe strengths of Scotland’s walking product as identifiedin the research1.

Things you need to knowVisitScotland estimate almost one quarter of all revenue fromthe UK market (22%) and approximately 4 million trips fromthe UK market, involved walking as the main or part activity of a trip. Visitors who had cited walking as being part of theirvisit, spent £952 million in 2003.

From the joint research project of 2006 (from 990 walkers),85% of walkers didn’t think that their experience could havebeen any better but 12% did. This and the growing interestfrom new visitors, is our opportunity for growth.

Over 60% of people surveyed said that their experience waseither ‘well beyond’ or ‘surpassed’ their expectations. But wecan’t be complacent. Lots of other places can offer a fantasticwalking experience. As tourism providers we have a greatopportunity to capitalise on this growth but only if we know a few essentials;

who they are what influences their decisionswhy they come what they want...and then exceed their expectations time and time again

Amongst this sample of walkers, 39% came specifically towalk, 58% of people came to walk but also to do other thingsand only 3% had no intention of walking before arriving. 1 Investigating and enhancing the walking experience in Scotland. Joint research by; VisitScotland,Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland. February 2006.

Scotland is a walkers’ paradise

The natural environment

The diversity of available walks throughout Scotland

The quality of the walks themselves

The excellent walking infrastructure

Walking in Scotland lets people experience the culture,history and people that we have in abundance.

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IMPORTANCE OF WALKING TO THE TRIP

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

main reason 39%

one of the reasons 40%

minor reason 18%

not planned 3%

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1 setting out Top Tips for Businesses• More people want to go walking.

They are more health conscious today than ever before and care about natural and sustainable environments.

• There are lots of different types of walkers. It is important to know who they are so that you can give them what they need.

• Walkers don’t just walk – they also want to do and see other things.

• Visitors who are non Scots are particularly interested in experiencing our unique culture and history as part of a walk and to experience our way of life.

• The majority of walkers are aged 35 – 55.

• Walkers want to be independent. They want easy access to information and options. They want to be spontaneous and benefit from inspiration and encouragement.

• Your recommendations to visitors can make all the difference to their visit.

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Visitors who did undertake other activities on their holiday as well as walking(74%), were asked what else they did as part of their holiday. As shown in the tablebelow, walkers also tend to visit castles and other attractions, view wildlife etc.

Word of mouth recommendation is highly influential for enthusing andencouraging our visitors to get into walking and return.

Hear it from Others“We just try to encourage the people who come here to get out andlook at the surroundings. We know that they will be amazed at thevariety of things to do on our doorstep. We have collated lots ofinformation based on the things that we, ourselves, like to do. These are maps, tips, good places to eat, nearby attractions etc. They are local experiences that we know our visitors will enjoy.’’Alan Knott – Kippford Holiday Park

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

visit castles / places of interest 66%visit cities / townsin Scotland 55%

view wildlife 32%

visit distilleries 21%

outdoor activities 20%visit friends / relatives

17%

camping 15%

play golf 7%

other 5%

ACTIVITIES DONE ON THE WALKING TRIP

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Wooded Grounds of Lews Castle, Stornoway, Outer HebridesP Tomkins

Footprints on the beach, Barra, Outer HebridesP Tomkins

Ullapool and Loch BroomeP Tomkins

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who goes walking these days and why...2 overviewof the market

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The OpportunityTo establish exactly what the opportunities are inWalking Tourism, we need to look at who the walkers are.We need to consider why people want to walk and moreprecisely what kind of walking they want to do.

Challenging the notion of a stereotypical walker, e.g. the dedicated Munro bagger, the activity of ‘walking’means very different things to different sorts of people. By ‘walking’ we mean going for a walk of over two miles.This can be broken down into the following categories:

A moderate walk is less than 5 miles.Perhaps a woodland, beach or city walk.

A longer walk is over 5 miles.Perhaps a forest or community walk

Hills and mountain walks.These include the classic Munros(over 3,000 ft), and Corbetts(between 2,500 ft and 3,000 ft),

Long distance routes.Like the West Highland Way,the Great Glen Way etc.Research2 tells us that specific groups of peopledemonstrate an inclination for a specific walking activityand they are easily recognisable.

2 Investigating and enhancing the walking experience in Scotland. Joint research by; VisitScotland,Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland. February 2006.

Broadly speaking there are 4 different groups of peoplewho make up ‘Walking Tourists’ in Scotland today. Thereis also a mixed group (19%) who show some of all theattributes from these 4 types:

The Committed Explorer (23%)Hills, mountains and more remote areas to get a sense of adventure. The dedicated walker who only is here to walk. It is a passion for themand they are excellent at using a map and a compass.

The Part Time Explorer (18%)Hills, mountains and more remote areas to get a sense of adventure. But they are a little less gung ho and like to have a well earned pint at the end of the day. They like to do other activities that relate to the natural environment, e.g. local culture and history.

The Committed Wanderer (7%)Moderate walks; these people are very serious about walking but unlike an Explorer, they like to walk within their comfort zone. They havea ‘work and reward’ approach.

The Part Time Wanderer (33%)Moderate walks; these people love to walk but only as part of other activities.

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2 overviewof the market

All of these groups have needs and some unique requirements.So it is necessary to collectively understand their needs andfind ways to help enhance their visit and let them know we areopen for business with exactly what they want.

There are so many different types of walks to do. There are over945 different walks listed on www.visitscotland.com/walking, a small percentage of what is actually available and over 30walking festivals and events. If one was to average 5 walkingholidays a year, it would take someone over 189 years to getthrough them! A couple of lifetimes.

Visitors who are most likely to go walking in the future are the45-65 year olds. UK demographic projections indicate that thepopulation is getting older and over 50’s will account for 50%of the population by 2012.

The fast pace of life also means that short breaks are thenorm. A quick get away, where one can engage with a localculture and have some time in the natural environment is

extremely attractive. It may only be for a couple of days astime is precious and they don’t often have much time forplanning. They will use the internet to search and book,targeting a particular area. Internet bookings for Scotlandshow a phenomenal growth of over 50% from 2001 to 2003and this growth is likely to continue.

With the ease of travel these days people are also moreexperienced tourists and have high expectations of quality. So some walkers will just as often be found staying at a 4 starhotel as in a remote bothy or tent. They may be dedicated tothe fabulous mountains in the Highlands but will also head to our major cities to walk as part of their city break.

Walkers want a great experience and they are prepared to pay more for it. But the experience needs to deliver. Above all,visitors tell us that they want to be told the truth, not to beover promised and to only be sold genuine experiences. They know the difference and they won’t come back unlessthey get the real thing.

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Loch Trool, Dumfries & GallowayP Tomkins

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Things you need to knowWalking tourism of all sorts is set to grow. A study by the Ramblers Association shows that theirmembership grew from 38,000 people in 1980 to140,000 in 2006. 77% of the UK adult population say they walk at least once a month for pleasure, which is about 38 million people.

Increasingly other destinations are gearing up for theopportunity too. They also have an excellent walkingproduct supported by walker friendly accommodationand infrastructure for getting around. Establishedmarkets like New Zealand, Canada, South America(Peru and Chile), India and Nepal, the Alps, Scandinaviaand Africa have long been attracting this market. Newdestinations such as the Carpathians in the Ukraine and other European countries are developing theirproduct in earnest. Let’s also not forget the beauty of England, Wales and Ireland. Competition is going to get much tougher.

Hear it from others“Every business in the walking areasseemed aware of the value walkingbrought to their business, so it helped toenhance the experience for walkers” a recent visitor to New Zealand

“There is big opportunity if we stop beingcontent to just take the passing marketand start to understand our product andcommunicate the unique elements to the market.”Robin Hogg, Galloway Walking Holidays

“Traditionally walkers weren’t botheredabout where they stayed but that is allchanging now. We have a range of good 4 star hotels that visitors want to stay in,but they also ask to stay in a tent or a bothy. It just depends what sort ofexperience they want”Paul Easto, Wilderness Scotland

who goes walking these days and why...2 overviewof the market

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Top Tips for Businesses• Identify which type of walkers would

be interested in staying with you and target that group.

• People want to book on the internet. If you are not online already, get on, and make your offer appeal to your target types of walkers.

• 79% of people come by car but that means 21% of people don’t. Think about how they can find you easily. Can you pickthem up from your local train/bus station?

• Recognise the different type of walkers and be sure to understand and enthuse about all the other activities to do in your area.

• Find out what kind of walks are in your area and start to offer them to visitors. Include maps, tips, good places to eat, etc.

• Work with other businesses in your area to identify the best walks and also those attractions that are easily reached from the walk such as distilleries etc. It can offer a visitor an even better walking experience if they can see points of interest along the way.

• Produce information for visitors online with simple maps for them to follow. You could link to www.visitscotland.com/walking and to the specific walk that you are recommending if it is listed. If your local walk is not listed, supply VisitScotland with the information and they will add it in.

• Make sure that your staff are informed – better still have a team building day and go off together to experience the local area. Then you can really be enthusiastic to visitors.

2 overviewof the marketw

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Urquhart Castle P Tomkins

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3The OpportunityRecent research3 asked visitors what kind of walksthey did in Scotland. Although the Highlands are stillthe most popular location, there was plenty of interestin walks in other areas in Scotland.

The research3 also asked them what level of walksthey preferred. Most prefer a Moderate Walk (1-5 miles). This was especially true for people fromthe rest of the UK while Scots and other nations oftenprefer the challenge of the hills and mountains.

With a closer look at the different types of walkers,we can develop a clearer picture of how to tailor what we offer them.3 Investigating and enhancing the walking experience in Scotland. Joint research by; VisitScotland,Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland. February 2006.

how to encourage walkers to your business

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

hill / mountain 56%

forest & woodland 54%

loch / riverside 35%

coastal 28%

countryside 24%

urban 11%

other 1%

TYPES OF WALKS THAT PEOPLE UNDERTOOK OR PLANNED TO DO

Like to stay

Campsite, bothies,functional places

B&B/guest houses.Like to have the whole Scottishexperience

B&B’s/guest houses.Less concerned about specifics.Functional

Hotels/guest housesand B&B’s. Likewarmth and comfort

Which typeof walker

CommittedExplorer

Part timeExplorer

CommittedWanderer

Part timeWanderer

Most likelyto walk

Hills & mountainsRemote areas &getting a sense ofadventure

Hills & mountains

Remote areas &getting a sense ofadventure

Moderate walks

Moderate walks

Why theyare here

Only to walk

Mix ofactivities

Mostly just to walk

Lots ofdifferentpursuits;wildlife, historyand culture

Level of facilitiesand info needed

Very little – want to go it alone andenjoy the adventureSkilled navigators

Will want localinformation and on otheractivities/events

Knowledgeable but want specificwalking info. Wantcar park and toilets

Non walkingspecific info, carparks, toilets

Philosophy

Pure sport,remote andrugged

Good hardchallenge andadventure andthen relax witha pint.

Serious aboutwalking butwithin my limits

Relax and enjoythe scenery

Most likely to be

Younger, single,no kids. Bothmale and female

Male or female.

No kids.

More mature,married andboth male andfemale

Family groups

Married females

More matureand often lessaffluent

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BASE 990

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3 how to encourage walkers to your business

Things you need to knowWalkers are very independent and the internet is one of the main sources of information, especially in bookingaccommodation. Of non Scots over half of the people questionedbooked independently through the internet as opposed to 11%who booked through a travel agent. However booking through a travel agency was more popular for non Scots (19%) than for those from the UK (4%). Where people choose to do self guided walks rather than organised trips, it is with the localbusinesses of a specific area that they will turn, to get theinformation they need. But this information must be given outenthusiastically and with a strong knowledge and pride in thelocal area.

Businesses working together to offer joined up access,transport, accommodation, attractions or just good, usefulinformation can make a real difference in enhancing theexperience for walkers. People tend to collect informationbefore they arrive and confirm decisions once they are in thelocation. This means that the information that individualbusinesses put on their website could influence a decision to come to one area or another.

Key information that walkers want• Recommendations on other places to stay

and other things to do

• Information on transport links, access to walks and how to get around

• Lots of information before they arrive

• Warm and empathetic hospitality

• Information about the grading and walks availablein the area

• Hints and tips on what to expect e.g. the weather

• Some historical stories or points of interest

• Information on rangers services

• Safety advice for mountains

• Local events – both general/social and walking specific

• Information about specific facilities for walkers

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A sign near Loch Maree, HighlandP Tomkins

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Things you need to knowWalking tourism can address some other challengeswithin Scottish Tourism too. Attracting this market canhelp with seasonality, as July and August is not alwaysthe best time to go walking in Scotland. It is often busy,sometimes with midges and can be too warm. Walkers have a much longer season than other tourists.Research indicates that people are very happy to gooutside in all weather as long as they can get dry andwarm at the end of the day. Walking can also encourageurban based visitors to take a day trip into thecountryside – if they know where to go!

In Scotland there is a danger of relying too much on the environment and not enough on the service. When asked whether accommodation providers couldsupport their walking experience better, 71% said theiraccommodation provider could not have supported thembetter. Only 7% said they could have improved, with 22%saying they were unsure (suggesting that more couldhave been done). Suggestions for improvementincluded:

• Greater consistency of support

• Opportunity to book accommodation for further walking destinations

• Flexibility (meal times, drying facilities, storage)

• Knowledge and information on local transport

• Enthusiasm, warm welcome and empathy.

Hear it from others“I am extremely impressed with howdetail oriented they were. They were the first to reply to my email inquiry (some of the others don’t seem to check their email!)and sent me the most detailed and flexibleproposal. They clearly take a great pride inthe business and put the customer first. Ireally appreciated the very personal service,especially as a first-time visitor to Scotland.We got fantastic value for our money andwould very strongly recommend this to ourfriends and relatives”A recent visitor from New York

“The attention to detail that you showed inproviding lovely B&B's, both with welcominglandladies and hearty breakfasts to set us upfor the day, as well as instructions and mapsfor each route, was more than I could havehoped. I found the routes really easy to followand I loved the selected points of interestalong the way.”A recent visitor from Yorkshire


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Top Tips for Businesses• Bad weather doesn’t stop people going

outside but make sure they will be warm when they come in.

• If the weather is too bad for climbing hills and mountains then suggest alternative interesting low-level routes that will give the best impression of an area.

• Go to www.visitscotland.com/walking and make sure you know all the walks within 5 miles of your business. Then start to promote them.

• Find out who are the walkers amongst your staff and ask them to help to enthuse visitors.

• Find out the train and bus times to your area and work out how people can access walks and other attractions nearby.

• Remember that walkers may not be able to fit in with your meal times. Be flexible.

• Visit your local Tourism Information Centre and know the things to do and see locally. Go and experience these places and recommend them if you thinkthat they are as good as you!

• Make sure you and your staff always have the 5 day weather forecast to hand. You can download this from the Met Office,www.metoffice.gov.uk. It is also available from www.visitscotland.com/walking as is the Mountain Weather Forecasts. Print it out and give a copy to guests.


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Beach at Traighanlar, Horgabost, The Isle of Harris, Outer HebridesP Tomkins

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4 how to grow your business with walking tourism

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The OpportunityIf you want to take advantage of this growing market you will have to make a conscious decision to do so as it doesn’t just happen.

A first step might be to join up with VisitScotland’s WalkerWelcome Scheme. You have to be part of their QualityAssurance Scheme and accreditation is free if you can providesome basic facilities for walkers. Advantages are being listedas a ‘Walker Welcome’ establishment for promotions. You willalso get ongoing advice and support to attract more of thismarket share.

Scotland’s walking product is very diverse; from the classicMunros and other hills and mountains, to the long distanceroutes of Great Glen Way, Speyside Way, Southern UplandWay, West Highland Way and Kintyre Way. Across Scotland as a whole there are also over 75 community managedwoodlands and forests, e.g. Abriachan above Loch Ness.

There are many organisations who invest big sums to helpimprove the walking product in Scotland. In the Highlandshuge investments have been made by organisations such asHighlands and Islands Enterprise and Forestry CommissionScotland to develop the Great Glen Way and The Kintyre Way.

Scottish Enterprise too, has made significant contributions todevelop walks such as The Hermitage in Perthshire, UpperDeeside Way, Ayrshire Paths development and the Fife CoastalPath. One recent project is the East Ayrshire Access Projectwhich is a partnership project with Scottish Natural Heritage,Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire and three local councils. A community website has also been set up www.ayrshirepaths.org.uk to encourage walkers and businesses to takeadvantage of what is available in the area.

Scottish Enterprise Grampian has also supported the UpperDeeside Trust to maintain and assist the public access of theUpper Deeside Way which balances recreational use, thenatural heritage and land management. A key success is the£2.5 million programme of access improvements of the EastCairngorm Access Project. This was funded by 14 public andprivate sector partners to carry out a variety of improvementsfrom mountain and lower level paths to upgraded visitor andinformation facilities.

Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotlandalso play a strong role in ensuring the quality of the walks,both in terms of signage and upkeep as well as promotion and development. There are also a host of other organisationswho help to put Scottish walking on the map.

Criteria for businesses to joinWalker Welcome SchemeServiced accommodation:

• A separate space for drying outdoor clothing and footwear so clothes can dry overnight

• A hot drink should be available on arrival

• A late evening meal (available until 8pm). A late night snack should be offered after 8pm

• Early breakfast option from 7am, or for very early leavers a tray the night before;

• A packed lunch – or flask filled

• A supply of local walking routes information, local public transport and a weather forecast.

Self-catering accommodation and hostels:

• A separate space should be available for drying outdoor clothing and footwear so clothes can dry overnight;

• Facilities for washing clothes;

• A supply of local walking routes information, local public transport

• A telephone number for information on the weather forecast;

• Details of the local rescue services;

• Details of the establishment's Ordnance Survey co-ordinates (if outwith a village).

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The Paths for all Partnership is one such organisation, whosupport the promotion of community walking and offersadvice and support to ensure that the development of localnetworks of paths meet local needs. Walking Festivals havebeen another hugely successful initiative across Scotland toencourage walkers to take part. They take place betweenMarch and November and host a wide range of events with a walking theme, ranging from short countryside rangerled walks to week long walking festivals. The full list is onwww.visitscotland.com/walking

Walking is a core tourism product that VisitScotland focus on to market to visitors in a variety of ways. www. visitscotland.com/walking has a wealth ofinformation under their walking pages to help visitors and Scottish tourism businesses alike.

Things you need to knowAlthough there are numerous walks in Scotland, walkerstell us that they also want to find new undiscovered areas.One barrier is the lack of nearby accommodation. It maybe that you live in one of these areas and if you could gettogether with others in the area, you might be able to offerexactly what walkers are looking for.

Walkers care about the environment and they won’t litter,so they don’t want to carry cans or glass around all dayfrom a packed lunch. One idea would be to provide areusable lunchbox that contained a small flask. These are easily obtained from good outdoor shops.

People probably come with their own equipment but don’tforget walkers are spontaneous. They might suddenly takean urge and when they do, you might want to have somebasic kit handy to help them out. Larger hotels couldconsider buying a selection of shoes/boots, jackets andsmall backpacks. At least be able to direct them to thenearest outdoor supplier in your area. Ordnance Surveymaps are another item that you could consider lending.

With regards to safety, always err on the side of caution.There are many sources of information listed at the backof this booklet to get the right advice to offer visitors.

In February 2005, the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003came into effect and gave Scotland some of the mostprogressive access legislation in Europe, giving everyone a statutory right of responsible access. For moreinformation on the Scottish Outdoor Access Code pleasego to www.outdooraccess-scotland.com.

Walkers have a variety of dedicated magazines, books,maps and websites that they use as a source ofinformation. Having a supply of these available for lendingwill be an inspiration to walkers and make them feel morewelcome.

Consider the transport links in your area. If 79% of peoplearrive to walk by car it still means that 21% of peopledon’t. Can you help them to get around by linking up with a local taxi firm? Maybe others would join in. A number of the walks on www.visitscotland.com/walking containinformation on public transport and access to the start of a walk.


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An example of a perfect dayout walking in EdinburghWe were staying at City Centre Hotel and with one freeday we wanted to get out and about in the city. Followingrecommendations from the hotel, and after a leisurelybreakfast, they arranged a taxi to take us to the loch atthe top of Arthur’s Seat in Holyrood Park. We walked upto the top and sat on the grass with a breathtaking viewin all directions. The hotel had given us a small rucksackin which they had a packed a delicious morning snack ina reusable box; a small flask of fresh coffee, a separatecontainer for fresh milk, a slice of homemade cake andsome fresh orange juice. We walked back down the hillto the High St where we spent a couple of hours lookingat the shops. Another taxi took us a quick ride to theScottish Gallery of Modern Art and we had a delicioushomemade lunch at the café before a look about. At 3pmwe left the gallery and set off along the Water of LeithWalkway which wound its way along the river andthrough the historic Dean Village, back to the City CentreHotel. After a quick rest and a swim in the hotel pool, itwas 6.30pm and time to get brushed up for dinner at thelatest two star Michelin rated restaurant nearby. On theway back to the hotel we stopped for a nightcap at a livejazz bar and chatted to a local couple next to us. A shortstroll back to City Centre Hotel completed a perfect dayout in Edinburgh.

Hear it from others“There is a well worn path from Londonthat is passed by word of mouth wheretrain times allow for hillwalks. Peoplecatch a sleeper from London Euston on aFriday night and arrive at Corrour Halt atRannoch Station on the West Highland line.They walk Sgor Gaibhre and Carn Deargand Meall na Meoig (Beinn Pharlagain)with a night in Loch Ossian youth hostel.Two more walks on Sunday up the nearbyMunro of Beinn na Lap and the Corbett(Leum Uilleum) and they are back to thestation in time for the sleeper back toLondon. A perfect escape in Scotland that they just won’t believe on Mondaymorning back at their desks.”Steve Duncan, Product Manager – Adventure and Walking, VisitScotland

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ernard’s Well, Stockbridge, Edinburgh

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Top Tips for Businesses• Use your local knowledge to pass

on to visitors. But only send them to places you think are great too.

• Think about themes for the packages you put together. Be creative, it captures people’s imagination.

• If your pub is at the end of a walk, think about giving a free pint to all walkers who finish the route. It is a great way to promote yourself.

• Ask visitors what they want and need.Then act on the feedback, and promote the improvements that you have made.

• Be sustainable and provide visitors with reusable packaging for food and drink.

• A simple piece of homemade cake served at the right moment can win people over and make the trip memorable.

• Keep a shelf of walking books and magazines to get people inspired

• Speak to other businesses to develop a joint package for visitors. Make it easy for them to buy your services.


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Specials board at the Wineport Bar and Bistro, Claddach, Isle of ArranP Tomkins

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5 what others are doingIt is more fun in groups – a story of collaboration

Kippford Holiday Park, Kippford, Dalbeattie. Alan Knotthttp://www.kippfordholidaypark.co.uk

Kippford Holiday Park is a Thistle Awardwinner and holds a David BellamyConservation Gold Award since 1977.Their market is the leisure walker whostays in a lodge or caravan to be part ofthe beauty and tranquillity of this areaalong the Solway Coast.

After the Foot and Mouth Diseaseoutbreak of 2001, The Kippford HolidayPark joined together with otherbusinesses in the Making Tracks Projectwhich was a grant scheme aimed toencourage groups of farmers and landbased businesses to work with tourismbusinesses and attractions, to developspecific nature-based tourism across the South of Scotland.

Alan Knott, manager says that “this iswhat got us all thinking’’. A keen walkerhimself, he has since involved a numberof local businesses to work together on a variety of projects to provide walkingand other leisure packages for visitors to the area to improve the experience.

One package on offer is ‘Seeds toSawmill’, which starts by taking visitorsto a tree plantation to see how seeds areplanted. A short walk follows through

a nearby forest to look at cutting andclearing of trees and then finally to asawmill to see how trees are processed.Along the way the group look at wildlifeand nature guided by expert localknowledge. With a simple leaflet, Alanpromotes tours such as this, to local pubs and restaurants, to encourage them to pass on to their visitors.

Another idea was ‘Breakout’ when Alan and his team realised that manyguests in the holiday park were stuckindoors on wet days and needing someencouragement to do something. Seveninteresting driving routes were developedwhich linked places to shop, eat and visitalong with places of historical interest.

Kippford Holiday Park have also played a major part in persuading others toimprove the local woodland walks. They have now built a squirrel hide with CCTV camera which is a hit withvisitors, along with specific themed trails.Improvements have also been made tothe information that a visitor is giventhrough maps, guides and betterinterpretation boards along the trails,pointing out what can be seen along the walk.

Alan and his team will also book anyother tickets that visitors want, furtherafield. Perhaps it is to see the Tattoo atthe Edinburgh festival, a day out to seeBritannia, a Whisky trail or a visit toGlasgow’s Burrell Collection. Everythingis available.

Kippford Holiday Park has seen visitornumbers grow substantially over the lastfive years and the effects of the Foot andmouth outbreak a thing of the past.

Alan Knott firmly believes that you have toknow who your market is and get the feel ofwhat they want. He goes on to say, “By justmaking use of what is on your doorstep andgetting everyone to join together to supporteach other it is amazing the difference thatyou can make’’.

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Red Squirrel P omkins

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It is not just the walkers that need to go the extra mile

Best Foot Forward @ West-View Guest House, Milngavie. Morag McNeillhttp://www.freewebs.com/best-foot-forward

Morag McNeill is the owner of a smallguest house in Milngavie at the start oftwo Long Distance Routes in Scotland,the West Highland Way and The Rob Roy Way.

Her approach to the walking visitor isinspiring and heartfelt and it is nocoincidence that she is also one of themost successful small accommodationbusinesses taking advantage of thenearby routes. Morag’s approach to thevisitors who stay with her is as ‘friends Ihaven’t yet met’ and she makes sure theyfeel her warm hospitality from booking

through the internet until she wavesthem off on their first leg of the walk.However she is well aware that things are changing and she knows she needs to keep improving. Putting it quite simply Morag is determined to always be ‘the best in Milngavie’.

The Best Foot Forward website isscattered with helpful advice for walkers with descriptions and personalrecommendations on what to do and see.She covers local villages, art galleries,country parks, wildlife reserves,distilleries and much more. Notforgetting nearby Glasgow she alsorecommends exactly how to get from the main transport hubs to her property. It is everything that any walker couldwant while they gear themselves up for long walking days ahead.

Morag really tries to get into the heads of her visitors, before they arrive. If theyare coming from abroad she knows theywill be tired and makes sure those guestshave their room available on arrivalrather than 4pm. People arrive excitedabout the start of the holidays so she hasa wealth of books and magazines to

inspire them and a dvd of the WestHighland Way which really sets their feetitching. When guests ask for a packedlunch, Morag checks the weather. If it is going to be a warm day she advisesagainst this because her lunch would be spoiled with the sun on a rucksack, so she recommends great pubs for alunchtime stop along their route. Moragis concerned about her guests and shewon’t let anyone leave her doorstep untilshe knows that they have securedaccommodation for the following night,often going to the extent of helping themto fix it up – just to be sure.

Morag acknowledges that this extra careis hard work on top of the already longhours of running a small guest house.But she is certain it is worth it and herbookings tell the same story. She hasyear round bookings and most of herguests are repeat business passed onthrough word of mouth.

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Using the themes on your doorstep to develop your product

Galloway Walking Holidays. Robin Hoggwww.gallowaywalks.co.uk

5 what others are doing

Robin Hogg is a specialist incoming touroperator who started bringing visitors tothe Dumfries and Galloway region 4 yearsago for cycling holidays. He has now justlaunched a new range of themed trips forwalkers which was a winning TourismInnovation Development Award project.With over 200 miles of coastline, threeNational Scenic areas nearby togetherwith the expansive Galloway Forest Parkand Galloway Hills, Robin has plentyroutes to choose from.

Robin puts the success if his trips downto local knowledge. An ex-policeman, and a keen cyclist and walker, he knowsexactly what people want and the littleextras that he can build in, to make atruly memorable experience.

He has seen many changes in the areawhich endorse current trends and visitorresearch from VisitScotland and others. A particular change that he has seen isthat a different group of people nowcome. They have more money to spendand are keen to do activities within theircomfort zones. This has brought aboutother changes. The 4 star Murray ArmsHotel in Gatehouse of Fleet, for instance,who converted an out house specifically

for bike and luggage storage which also incorporates a shower block. He regularly sends his visitors to the Cally Palace Hotel, a beautifulMcMillan Family Hotel that dates back to 1763. This is because people want to have luxury, as well as an authenticexperience outdoors.

Another development from GallowayWalking Holidays is in themed walks.Taking a cue from the novel by Dorothy L Sayers, Five Red Herrings Robin hasdeveloped a Murder Mystery walkingtour. As the author wrote in her preface“all the places are real places and all the landscapes correct”. What more of a map would one need to develop a holiday around this book? And as a little

extra, the book is available to read on the tour!

Another demonstration of collaboratingwith the local areas and using what is on your doorstep, is another themed walk around food, art and books. It just so happens that three of the local townshave built a reputation on Food, Art and Books. Castle Douglas for food,Kirkcudbright for art and Wigtown forbooks. They have done this primarilythrough community festival around these themes which have in turn haveattracted visitors and new businessesinto the area.

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A boost to walking tourism in Kintyre

The Kintyre Waywww.kintyreway.com

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In 2006 a new route opened which startsat Tarbert and finishes at Dunaverty Bay,Southend. The walk is 89 miles long as a direct route (103 miles including all alternative route options). The timeneeded to walk the entire route isbetween 4 and 7 days, depending onability. The route can also be walked in sections of the walkers choice.

The development of this new route had itsbeginnings in a joint venture, set up 10years ago, between the public agenciesand the tourism industry in Kintyre. The aim was to look at ways to promotebusiness growth through community led initiatives and encourage greatercollaboration and targeted marketingactivity from the local businesses. Theyalso wanted to link some of the smallerand more remote villages that tend to bebypassed by visitors.

A key issue in the development was oneof access and management of each of thesections along the route. Originally theplan was to route the trail through forestroads and areas owned by the localcouncil. It was soon realised, however,that this would cut out some of the mostscenic parts and not help to access themore remote communities who would be able to develop service products for walkers. Finally it was agreed to re-route the path which involvedchallenges of increasing its length andalso resolving the issues of managementand maintenance across a number of different sectors with more than one owner.

The route can be split across 3 separatesections. Approximately 30% is on landowned and managed by Argyll and ButeCouncil, 34% by Forestry CommissionScotland and the remaining 36% is on

private land that is managed and maintained by the Kintyre MarketingGroup Company.

In all, this is a great example of howpublic and private sectors can worktogether to boost tourism in an area. The project was funded by HIE Argyll and the Islands, Forestry CommissionScotland, Scottish Natural Heritage,Kintyre Wind Farm Trust, the KintyreMarketing Group and VisitScotland.

The prediction is that the walk couldbring approximately 5,000 additionalwalkers to Kintyre each year which hasthe potential to generate an additional £1.3 million per annum gross tourismexpenditure.

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7 resources and links to help you

Organisation and links where you can get further information

Visitscotland.org Information for tourism businesses www.visitscotland.org

VisitScotland walking website www.visitscotland.com/walking

Scottish Natural Heritage www.snh.org.uk/

Forestry Commission Scotland www.forestry.gov.uk

Scottish Countryside Rangers www.scotranger.freeserve.co.uk

Mountaineering Council of Scotland www.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk

Scottish Outdoor Access www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/

Walker Welcome Scheme www.visitscotland.org/businessdevelopment/qa

The ramblers association www.ramblers.org.uk

Paths for all partnership www.pathsforall.org.uk/

Wildlife in Scotland Comprehensive website dedicated to wildlife & wildlife themed holidayswww.visitscotland.com/wildlife

Mountain Bothies www.mountainbothies.org.uk

British mountain guides www.bmg.org.uk

Adventure Sports in Scotland www.visitscotland.com/adventure

5 day weather forecast from Visitscotland.comwww.visitscotland.com/aboutscotland/Climate/forecast/

Walking related websites

Munro Magic. www.munromagic.com

Walking Publishers for books and maps

Pocket Mountains range of books www.pocketmountains.com/

Mercat Press. Extensive range of walking titles. www.mercatpress.com/

Stirling Surveys Walking Guides www.stirlingsurveys.co.uk/

Harvey Maps. Maps made in Scotland. www.harveymaps.co.uk

Along the Fife Coastal Path. Hamish Brown

Family walks in Scotland. Colin Hogath.100 family walks which include distances, maps, walk starts etc.

The Southern Upland Way: Official Guide. Roger Smith

West Highland Way: Official Guide. Bob Aitken and Roger Smith

Lonely Planet: Walking in Scotland. Sandra Bardwell

The Munros (the new version – Summer 2006).Donald Bennet and Rab Anderson

Rucksack Readers Official Guide to the Great Glen Way www.rucsacs.com

Rucksack Readers Official Guide to the Speyside Way www.rucsacs.com

Walking Magazines Available from newsagents and larger supermarkets

TGO (Formerly The Great Outdoors) www.tgomagazine.co.uk/Trail Magazine www.greatmagazines.co.uk

Country Walking www.greatmagazines.co.uk

Bird Watching www.greatmagazines.co.uk

Strider Long Distance Walks magazine from the Long Distance Walkers Associationwww.ldwa.org.uk

Rambler Association magazine www.ramblers.org.uk

The Scottish MountaineerMagazine from the Mountaineering Council of Scotlandwww.mountaineering-scotland.org.uk

Other related documents

Investigating and enhancing the walking experience in Scotland.Jointly commissioned by; VisitScotland, Scottish Enterprise,Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland.

From Munro’s to Ramblers.The Prospect for Scotland’s Walking Proposition to 2015. October 2006.Chris Greenwood and Dr Ian Yeoman on behalf of VisitScotland.

Snapshots from the Future. August 2005. Scottish Enterprise

Walk in Scotland 2007.Promotion booklet by VisitScotland and Forestry Commission Scotland

Walkers and Holidays, online research presentation from Emap.Winter 2006. VisitScotland

Walkers View research. Summary of the research into the ScottishHoliday Experience for Walkers 2005

Tourism Attitudes Survey 2005.Harris Interactive on behalf of VisitScotland

Sustainable Tourism in Scotland.Future Foundation 2005 on behalf of VisitScotland

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A footpath sign at Sligachan, Isle of SkyeP Tomkins

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