Tourism Focus on Environment

Tourism businesses in Wester Ross are set to benefit from a new project that will share knowledge and experiences from other countries in northern Europe. The NEST project (Northern Environment for Sustainable Tourism) started in October 2004/2005 with funding from Scottish Natural Heritage, Ross & Cromarty Enterprise, The Highland Council and the EU Northern Periphery Programme.

The project involves partners from Iceland, Finland and Sweden and will examine the promotion of tourism in nationally protected areas, such as National Parks and National Scenic Areas, demonstrating how wildlife and landscapes can support tourism and fragile rural economies. The project is highly relevant to this area as the Wester Ross National Scenic Area is the largest in Scotland, stretching from Little Loch Broom to Kishorn. Wester Ross also boasts Britain’s first National Nature Reserve, at Beinn Eighe, and a wealth of other special conservation sites.

Representatives from businesses and business associations from across the area, who are already working under the banner of Tourism @ Wester Ross, have been drawn together to form the steering group for the project. As well as gathering information on best practice and ideas from other countries the group plan to undertake specific projects in the area, such as promoting Green businesses and the recent access code.

Project Co-ordinator Manager Lloyd Gudgeon explained that the NEST project is designed to make things happen, rather than just be a talking shop: “The tourism industry in Wester Ross is characterised by small, independent businesses actually run by the owners. People like that don’t have a lot of free time to investigate the possibilities of working together to promote the excellence of Wester Ross. The local business associations have got together with this project to work on behalf of the whole industry, and come up with marketing campaigns, new brochures, training for staff, and anything else that will help us develop the industry and so secure jobs and income.”

The next event for the group project will be a conference to be held between the 27th – 29th April. Delegates from all the participating countries have a chance to see the landscape that draws so many people to the area and to discuss tourism issues and opportunities in Wester Ross. For more information on the NEST project contact Lloyd Gudgeon, Wester Ross Alliance, Unit 2 Achtercairn, Gairloch, or your local business association representative: