Highland councillor claims Goverment nature promo remains undiscovered
A Badenoch and Strathspey Highland councillor has claimed there are serious failings in the promotion of the Year of Natural Scotland initiative.
Councillor Gregor Rimell (Lib Dem) claimed that five months into 2013, the Scottish Government campaign had registered with few people.
He told colleagues at the latest Highland Council’s planning committee, that "the national park has a do on Saturday in Aviemore where the (environment) minister Richard Lochhead is coming along to launch ‘National Park Nature."
He said: "Not a lot of people seem to know about it. I’m totally disappointed in the local perception of the ‘Year of Natural Scotland’ and we should learn from that."
Mr Rimell also called for more general promotion of the Cairngorms National Park.
Responding to the criticism, VisitScotland director Riddell Graham, who gave a presentation to the committee, agreed.
"You’re right. We do need to make more of the national parks and in our website we’re trying to encourage that by highlighting that as part of the experience within Scotland.
"We recognise that and, I agree, we need to do more."
