North Highland Initiative calls for 'positive and uplifting' message on tourism
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A "positive and uplifting" message on tourism will be required to ease concerns among Highland communities as Scotland emerges from the coronavirus lockdown, according to the organisation behind the North Coast 500 road trip.
The North Highland Initiative (NHI) says "more nuanced messaging" is necessary as businesses prepare to welcome back visitors, and is asking the Scottish Government and VisitScotland to launch information campaigns nationally and locally.
There needs to be a rekindling of the renowned "Highland welcome", NHI chairman David Whiteford maintains.
Earlier this month Scotland's tourism secretary Fergus Ewing announced that it is hoped the industry can resume on July 15, and a tourism and hospitality sector guidance document was published by the Scottish Government on Thursday.
“As we work towards the conditional reopening of the tourism and hospitality sector in Scotland on July 15, the North Highland Initiative welcomes the release of the Scottish Government’s sectoral guidelines this week," Mr Whiteford said.
"We hope this will give North Highland businesses a practical and workable target to plan and adapt their premises so that they can be in a position to provide visitors with a hearty but safe welcome. As part of this process, NHI will continue working to help deliver a responsible balance between economic recovery and public safety.
“We’re also grateful to the First Minister for listening to our calls to review the appropriateness of the two-metre social distancing guidelines in hospitality settings. For many businesses it will not be possible to reopen if it is not reduced.
"We need to look at what other countries have done with social distancing by reducing it from two metres to one metre. It’s the only way that many tourism and hospitality businesses will be viable.
“One of the key things that makes north Highland communities unique is that a larger majority of businesses in remote areas like ours are independent, family-run or self-employed, making them an integral part of rural community life and heavily reliant on income from tourism to sustain their livelihoods.
“We believe that the next essential step is for the Scottish Government to adopt more nuanced messaging to ease anxieties across the country – especially in Highlands. The ‘stay home and save lives’ message has been very effective, but for many people, especially those living and working in more remote and rural communities, there is a fear that changing this behaviour may pose a risk to public health and wellbeing.
“Our famous ‘Highland welcome’ now needs to be quickly rekindled to help secure the future of tourism long term. We’re now looking to the Scottish Government and VisitScotland to implement national and local campaigns to allay anxiety among Highland communities and deliver a positive, uplifting message as we take safe, measured steps to emerge from lockdown."
Mr Whiteford added that as the tourism sector gets going again the North Highland Initiative will be relaunching its Highland Time campaign, with a focus on responsible and sustainable tourism.
"The campaign aims to encourage visitors to spend more time exploring the region by showcasing the wild, rugged and varied landscapes of the north Highlands as ‘the ultimate natural remedy to modern life’," he explained.
"We hope to entice visitors to slow down, explore away from the beaten track and focus on wellbeing experiences as part of their travels, such as walking, hiking and swimming, as well as getting a taste for our world-renowned Highland food and drink.
"Highland Time also champions the north Highland region as a prime destination for eco-travel, encouraging travellers to be mindful of their environmental impact.”
The North Highland Initiative was established in 2005 as a result of efforts by Prince Charles, the Duke of Rothesay, to bring together the farming community, local businesses and the tourism industry to try to address some of the challenges facing rural communities in the north of Scotland by creating a powerful regional identity.
