'More investment in strath's tourism infrastructure is needed'
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A senior Highland councillor is calling for the continued upgrade of tourism infrastructure in Badenoch and Strathspey.
It comes after Highland Council’s latest tourism committee has agreed a visitor management plan for 2021 which will be adapted to provide a five-year plan for the future.
The council will work with other agencies involved in tourism and visitor management to deliver the plan.
A number of actions included in the plan which councillors have approved are:
* Some £280,000 on road management and improvements;
* £250,000 investment in parking management;
* £300,000 for the provision of new seasonal access rangers;
* £60,000 spend on public toilets
* £180,000 on waste management (bins, litter and fly-tipping);
* £200,000 on enhancing bus services; and
* £125,000 on other initiatives and engagement with partners to improve visitor management in hotspots such as at Glenmore, Glencoe and the Glen Etive and Arisaig, Morar and Mallaig areas.
Councillors welcomed the wide range of 24 new infrastructure projects included in the plan across the region that will be ready for the 2021 season.
Highland councillor Bill Lobban told the Strathy: “We really need to upgrade our tourism infrastructure for the 21st Century especially given that here in Badenoch and Strathspey we rely so heavily on tourism.
"We need better facilities including toilets, easy to access parking and a vastly improved public transport service.
"All of which takes money and hopefully this year will see substantially more investment which will improve matters for tourists and locals alike."
Also included in the list of projects is the provision of new public toilets, motorhome waste disposal and additional parking at Storr on Skye.
The popular site attracts around 200,000 visitors a year who visit The Old Man of Storr and use the footpaths in this area of outstanding natural beauty.
To help accommodate the needs of visitors a new car park has been completed and a new toilet block and camper van waste disposal site are due for completion next month.
These new facilities follow on from previous works to provide an additional roadside lay-by constructed in 2019, and car parking for up to 140 vehicles.
Councillors agreed that further opportunities for the delivery of new visitor management related car park improvements should move forward at pace as part of the council’s agreed process for car park charging roll-out.
These new opportunities will be discussed at ward business meetings by local members.
Councillor Gordon Adam, chair of the council's tourism committee, said: “Members are supportive of the delivery of the council’s Visitor Management Plan and the roll out of the car parking projects across the region.
"Detailed proposals will be discussed at local level in ward business meetings so that we can move quickly to welcome visitors to the region when lockdown restrictions are eased and throughout the coming season.”
He added: “In the next few weeks, the Council will publish a simple guide for individuals and communities who want to set up safe stopping off places for campervans – known on the continent as ‘aires’.
"Councillors will also agree on how they should be branded. Officers are consulting with the Scottish Government so that small scale sites can be set up rapidly.”
In tandem with the Visitor Management Plan, the council is also developing a separate and complementary Tourism Infrastructure Plan which aims to identify the longer-term tourism infrastructure requirements of the region.
More details can be read here
