Tourism Matters We start this feature with a big thank you to all the team at the Deeside/Donside Piper, who have given us the opportunity through our new regular features, to highlight the importance of the tourism sector. We look forward to working with them over the coming year. It is clear to see that they like us understand that the tourism sector is vital for the local economy of the area and to the wider community. They also understand the need for cooperation and finding ways of successfully working together, which we as an organisation are very keen to develop with other organisations, businesses and representatives of the community. Collaboration work can and does work. Last year saw Royal Deeside & the Cairngorms build upon its core work within the tourism sector, with successful fund applications to VisitScotland, Scottish Enterprise and Aberdeenshire. The Victorian Heritage Trail project attracted national press coverage on offers, competitions and a series of seventeen E-flyers to a growing visitor audience. We started with an audience base of 8,500 but this has now grown to over 15,000, each of these being a potential future visitor to the area. A recent survey shows that some have already visited as a direct result of the campaign. Being a partner (member) of Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms, gives local businesses access to many business benefits and opportunities. Over the last few months, partners have benefited not only from collective marketing but also from a series of free networking events, workshops and most recently our very successful "Building the journey" conference held a few weeks ago. Described as a busy, vibrant and successful event, here are a few of the many comments and feedback received from partners and industry.
“Excellent conference with very professional & informative speakers. Great networking opportunities and had the feeling that businesses open to the idea of working together in partnership. Well done organisers very enjoyable, productive & entertaining day! “I think that what Willie said about working with plumbers, joiners and others who don't see themselves in the tourism business is very important. Also I think the DMO should work closely with the schools they are the future tourism proprietors and employees in the area” “A very enjoyable and well-organised event. Many thanks. Good standard of speakers”
Going forward, there are lots of exciting and interesting projects, events, trainings on the horizon. So if you are already in tourism, thinking of starting a new business in tourism or just interested in the sector in general, then maybe you should think about becoming a partner of the Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms. Joining is simple and good value. Just visit the website or contact the office, who will be very happy to provide you with more details and information. We look forward to welcoming you as part of this expanding organisation.
Tourism Matters Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms is the official business organisation for tourism in the areas of Royal Deeside, Donside and the Eastern Cairngorms. We promote the area as a year-round destination and provide visitors with high quality experiences that will encourage them to return. Working with local businesses we want to develop the area’s tourism product in ways that generate benefits for all. As a not-for-profit organisation we are actively seeking ways of promoting the area through professional collaboration, business leadership and community participation. We intend to run a regular column to highlight tourism news, views and features, the first of which you are now reading. Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms is seen by many as Scotland’s crowning glory. As we know the area is home to many rare wildlife and plant species – capercaillie, red squirrels, roe deer, golden eagles and more! The iconic River Dee flowing from its source high up in the Cairngorm Mountains passes through 85 miles of some of the world’s most stunning scenery until it finally reaches the sea at Aberdeen. With several towns and villages including Banchory, Aboyne, Ballater and Braemar offering accommodation and outdoor activities, walking, fishing, mountain biking, skiing, running and traditional highland games and festivals, you can understand why the area should attract visitors from around the world. The combination of rich history, culture, scenery, landmarks, beauty spots and attractions combine to offer the visitor plenty to see and do. Living and working in this very special area we are all aware that tourism is a very important sector to the local economy and the wider community. With many local businesses directly or indirectly involved, it is easy to see why there is a need to promote the brand and raise awareness of the area as a key tourism destination. Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms is an organisation which aims to do just that. Formed a little over 6 years ago we have carried out many marketing activities and projects over this time, including the Deeside Music Sessions, several food & drink projects such as Venison Festivals, Tanalonga and Dine on Deeside to name but a few. These projects along several others have helped raise the profile and promote the area and have been supported by public funding in addition to the private funding generated through its partnership fees. This year saw the launch of an enhanced Victorian Heritage Trail, which coincided with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Year of Creative Scotland 2012. Many local tourism businesses were involved in the project and featured in the various PR campaigns, articles and publicity. Now is the time to plan for the year ahead and we aim to continue to work with the local tourism community to help structure future projects for the benefit of all the area. As a partnership organisation we currently have over 80 local businesses and run training courses as well as a number of business to business meetings. These informal evenings are a great opportunity to network as well as hearing about future activities, promotions and projects. At recent events over 50 businesses explored possible promotional opportunities during 2013 “The Year of Natural Scotland.
Become a Partner of Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms Are you interested or involved in Tourism then take a look at the many benefits of becoming a partner in Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms. By becoming a partner (member) of Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms you are eligible for many direct business benefits which include – An enhanced website listing on www.discoverroyaldeeside.com Opportunity to be a part of local marketing and PR campaigns that suit your business. Regular newsletters and updates on future marketing opportunities and new projects. Access to industry led workshops and local training courses. Opportunity to take part in larger events such as Visit Expo. Discounted advertising and editorial opportunities in local and national press. Networking opportunities with other businesses and making new contacts. Opportunities for free PR via local paper. Collective tourism voice. Annual membership does not have to break the bank and when measured against the cost of say, a couple of local ads, is really good value. So what’s stopping you – join today.
Non Vat Registered Business @ £85+ Vat Vat Registered Business @ £102+ Vat Join online at www.discoverroyaldeeside.com and click on the B2B tab or please contact the office on 013398 88770 or e-mail info@discoverroyaldeeside.com and we will be happy to assist you. Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms – The Birthplace of Scottish Tourism.
Spotlight on Tourism
Liz Johnston
Treasure Trails based in Stonehaven www.treasuretrails.co.uk Tourism includes lots of different of businesses, probably far more than you imagine. This new regular “mini interview with” – helps highlight the variety and diversity of them - This week we focus on a couple of the many activity providers in our area: Liz Johnston of Treasure Trails based in Stonehaven How did you start up in business - Having enjoyed a murder mystery Treasure Trail in Glasgow I discovered from the website that nobody was writing Treasure Trails in the Deeside area – the rest is history! What motivates you – Positive feedback as the Trails are well received. Favourite time of year and why - I enjoy the springtime as that is when I’m usually out researching and writing new Trails – my favourite part of my job. How long have you been in business - 5 years What does the area mean to you - A fantastic mixture of towns and villages surrounded by natural beauty. From mountain to sea! What is the best thing about your job - I enjoy encouraging people to explore and learn more about places on their doorstep and see them in a different light.
Spotlight on Tourism
Craig Westlake
Deeside Nature Activities based in Crathie. www.deesidenatureactivities.co.uk
What made you want to go into the tourism – I derive great pleasure from seeing the joy visitors get when experiencing the wildlife in this fantastic part of Scotland, Who are you inspired by – Sir David Attenborough’s wildlife programs, seeing the varied wildlife and the cultures of our planet. Your proudest achievement to-date – Overcoming a seriously prolapsed disc and being fit enough to set up in business and to compete at golf! Challenges ahead in your businesses – Increasing the number of safaris I offer and find more opportunities to show clients the species of wildlife they come here to see! One thing to do before you are too old – Seeing a wild Polar Bear in its natural environment has long been a goal of mine. Favorite holiday destination - The Greek island of Lesvos is a fantastic place, scenery is amazing and the hospitality wonderful.
Tourism Matters Scotland’s tourism industry maintains its position as one of the key contributor to the nation’s economy. Overnight visitors generate in excess of £4.5bn annually and day visitors contributed a further £6.2bn, giving a total spend close to £11bn (2011 figures) It is easy to see why is a very important sector for the large number of small businesses who work either directly or indirectly within the industry. Tourism accounts for over 200,000 jobs, across 20,000 different tourism-related businesses, while also feeding into other sectors such as food and drink, retail, transport and construction. Many of these are in rural areas, so it can be said that tourism helps less populated communities to survive and prosper. The months of July to September are the most popular for holidays in Scotland amongst both UK and overseas visitors. However, business tourism is also a significant component of the Scottish tourism market and accounts for around 20% of the total visitor spend. Over the years visitor expectations are growing ever more sophisticated with a shift away from individual tourism attractions and more towards rounded experiences, delivered to a consistently high quality at each point of the customer journey. There is now an aspiration to turn Scotland’s many tourism assets into the quality, authentic experiences to match these visitor requirement and expectations. Tourism Scotland 2020 is an industry strategy, led by the Tourism Leadership Group (TLG), which aims to achieve and deliver on common goals for 2020 and beyond. Focusing on Scotland’s opportunities, strengths and capabilities and identify priorities for action in order to achieve an annual visitor spend of between £5.4bn and £6.4bn by 2020. One of its main aims is to grow the value of key market opportunities around the "Home Turf" being the UK, "Distant Cousins" USA, Canada etc. and "Near Neighbours" which is Western Europe and also building capacity to capitalise on the emerging markets. Through the themes of nature, heritage, activities, destinations, towns, cities, event, festival and business tourism it is looking to improve the customer journey through key areas of food, drink, transport, accommodation and digital connectivity. Identified by the Scottish Government, a number of years ago were 6 keys destination areas those being: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms, St Andrews and Highland Perthshire. Tourism continues to be an important industry especially for small businesses and has been identified as one of the key sectors in the Scottish Governments economic strategy. Locally Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms continues to work to improve the quality of the visitor experience and to maximise the contribution which tourism makes to the area and economy. We are currently planning a number of events and projects for 2013 and will be holding our annual conference in early March. More details on this and the planned activities for 2013 will follow in future features.
Tourism Buyers Flock to VisitExpo 17th & 18th April 2013 VisitScotland Expo is Scotland’s premier business to business travel trade event. Held at Glasgow’s SECC, Expo offered the perfect opportunity for all companies with a Scottish tourism product to showcase their products and services to potential buyers. Royal Deeside & the Cairngorms as part of the Aberdeen City & Shire stand took this opportunity to promote Royal Deeside and area in order to highlight the range of activities, attractions and accommodation available locally.
As Expo is open to buyers from all sectors of the industry and all corners of the globe, it attracts many different buyers and exhibitors. However with so many exhibitors and delegates it was important to be able to stand out in the crowd. So following on from the launch of the Victorian Heritage Trail, we decided to follow on with the Victorian theme and sent Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to the event much to the amusement of both delegates and other stand holders.
The event was a very busy affair over the two days and lots of information, business cards and photographs were exchanged throughout the event. It was interesting to note that many of the requests for information about Royal Deeside came for countries such as India, Russia, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, USA, Canada and of course the UK.
According to experts, tourism growth in the future will come from emerging countries being led by what is described as the BRIC countries, these being Brazil, Russia, India and China. These countries are seen as representing very important and fast growing inbound tourist markets.
Royal Deeside & the Cairngorms – The Birth Place of Scottish Tourism
Scotland’s Big 5
Copyright ©Lorne Gill/SNH
This edition we focus on the Year of Natural Scotland 2013. This year-long celebration aims to showcase Scotland’s natural beauty, breathtaking scenery, delicious food and drink and incredible wildlife. It is seen as ideal opportunity for both visitors and locals to become immersed in all things Scottish. The message is whatever the weather or season, nature trails, true wilderness and wildlife experiences are accessible and are an adventure at all times. Stunning landscapes and natural beauty set the scene for wildlife experiences in Scotland and whether it is along the rugged coastline, in one of Scotland’s National Parks or Nature reserves, on one of Scotland’s 790 islands or even in cities such as Edinburgh, Glasgow or nearer to home Aberdeen - Scotland’s Big 5 are never far away. So what are Scotland’s Big 5 – well they consist of the golden eagle, red deer, red squirrel, harbour seal and otter, which are all indigenous and iconic species to Scotland and can be found all over the country. Scottish Natural Heritage and VisitScotland have recently launched the newest campaign under the banner of Year of Natural Scotland - Scotland’s Big 5 Wildlife Watching Challenge. A brand new app ‘Scotland’s Big 5’ will be available from the SNH website and will give information about the best places in Scotland to spot wildlife. Visit www.snh.gov.uk/enjoying-the-outdoors/year-of-natural-scotland-2013 for more details. So in this year of Natural Scotland, what’s stopping you pulling on that jacket and getting out there into the great outdoors? Remember Tourism Matters.
Spotlight on Tourism
Rebecca Milne
Glendavan House, Dinnet www.glendavanhouse.com
What made you want to go into the tourism - I chose to study Tourism Management thinking it would enable me to travel the world and sit on beaches for the rest of my life!! I didn't realise that getting into tourism would mean that I would never have a summer holiday again! Who are you inspired by - Anyone who loves what they do so much that it shows. Your proudest achievement to-date - Setting up Glendavan as a 5* business and maintaining it as such for the last 6 years. Challenges ahead in your businesses - Keeping up with increased customer expectations and striving to exceed them. One thing to do before you are too old - You are never too old!! Favourite holiday destination - Anywhere the sun is shining, the wine is cheap and the company is outrageous!
Spotlight on Tourism
Susan Bell
Glen Lui Hotel, Ballater www.glen-lui-hotel.co.uk
How did you start up in business – I have always been interested in business and finance, so when my husband Gordon retired we bought a hotel in the Borders which we ran for 7 years before moving to Ballater. What motivates you – Meeting new people and welcoming back old friends. Favourite time of year and why – The Spring when everything starts taking off. How long have you been in business – 15 years in the hotel industry. What does the area mean to you - It’s a wonderful place to live surrounded by such a special landscape. What is the best thing about your job – Welcoming the visitors arriving from all over the World and not having to commute to work.
Spotlight on Tourism
Nicola Henderson
Woodend Barn www.woodendbarn.com What made you want to go into the tourism - Always been passionate about the arts and have a desire to help support/develop a cultural tourism offering. Who are you inspired by – Emma Nicolson, director of Atlas Arts on Skye, who is creating a wonderful programme working with local artists and attracting visitors to the area. She’s got the balance just right and I’m inspired to do the same for Deeside Your proudest achievement to-date – Securing an Ed Ruscha exhibition at Timespan (previous job) in partnership with Tate Modern and the National Galleries of Scotland. Challenges ahead in your businesses – Economic times are still hard, so external funding and sustaining audience levels can be a challenge. One thing to do before you are too old – Get to Nepal and climb to Everest Basecamp! Favorite holiday destination – Love travelling, but probably Vietnam for its people and varied landscape.
Spotlight on Tourism
Russell & Laura Hogg
Aboyne Photographics www.aboynephotographics.com
How did you start up in business – After studying Professional Photography & Imaging at Aberdeen we decided to set up the business. What motivates you- Seeing the effect our photographs can have, as it’s an amazing feeling to see something you have created being cherished by so many. Favourite time of year and why - Every season has its benefit but would say spring as it’s lovely to see the landscapes change and the wildlife flourish. How long have you been in business - Started the business in early August 2008. What does the area mean to you - Always new places to visit, explore and with so many places to stay, eat and enjoy the area means a great deal to us. What is the best thing about your job - Getting to meet so many wonderful people, each day is different and photography truly is a rewarding profession.
Opportunities for Cycle Tourism Scotland should be branded as a must visit destination for cycle tourism, according to a new report by a leading transport campaign group. Transform Scotland recently launched the report 'The Value of Cycle Tourism', which sets out the multi-million benefits to the Scottish economy from cycle tourism. Transform Scotland is the national sustainable transport alliance, bringing together rail, bus and shipping operators, local authorities, national environment and conservation groups, businesses and local transport groups .
Cycle Tourism in Scotland – Photograph by Sustrans According to the 'The Value of Cycle Tourism' report the total value of cycle tourism - by residents and visitors, touring and leisure cycling - in Scotland is up to £239m per year. This figure is significantly higher than previous research suggests and Transform Scotland says there is massive scope for growth to make leisure cycling one of Scotland’s top tourism activities. In the report, published in partnership with Sustrans Scotland, Transform sets out recommendations for unlocking the economic potential of leisure cycling, including promoting leisure cycling to a wider range of groups and supporting marketing of routes particularly in rural areas of Scotland. While Scotland has built up a reputation for mountain biking, much more could be done to brand Scotland as a 'must-visit' destination for cycle tourists and leisure trips. From family day-trips to one day cycle events to long distance tours it is clear that there are a range of opportunities for cycle tourism especially here in an area such as Royal Deeside, Donside and surrounding locations. Accommodation providers, event organisers, cycle tour operators and food & refreshment facilities, could all benefit. Outdoor pursuits, such as cycling, play an important part in Scottish tourism and this year as we celebrate the Year of Natural Scotland there is no better time to appreciate the beautiful landscape on our doorstep. Remember Tourism Matters! For more details about Transform Scotland visit - see www.transformscotland.org.uk
Spotlight on Tourism
Sandra Stewart
Castleton Cottage Self Catering www.castletonbraemar.co.uk What motivates you – Braemar is a fantastic place to live and I am passionate about this area, so I hope I pass that on to the visitor. Favourite time of year and why – Autumn, as the colours are incredible, and slightly less busy, so have more time to enjoy walking, photography, certain art groups, more me time. How long have you been in business – Only 1 year, but have seen a lot of visitors during that time, I am open all year, and am full most of the time. What does the area mean to you – This area means so much, the wildlife, scenery, peace & quiet and I enjoy making visitors feel welcome and for them to have a good experience. What is the best thing about your job – Not having far to go to work, a few steps and I’m there.
Spotlight on Tourism
Philippa Davie
Perkhill Holiday Cottages www.perkhillholidaycottages.co.uk
What made you want to go into the tourism industry- Wanted to diversify our farming business by converting redundant buildings on the farm into holiday lets, to provide affordable and comfortable accommodation. Who are you inspired by – my parents as they have both always worked hard and support me in all our projects. Your proudest achievement to-date – being ranked as number 1 on Trip Advisor of lodges near Banchory with 23 ‘excellent’ reviews after only 1 year of starting the holiday let business. Challenges ahead in your businesses – to keep on maintaining and improving the quality of our guests’ experience and to complete the indoor heated swimming pool. One thing to do before you are too old – travel the world with my husband in style! Favorite holiday destination – The Maldives.
Find out more about Tourism Matters by contacting the Royal Deeside Office Tel 0133398 87780 No 7. The Business centre, Huntly Road, Aboyne, Aberdeenshire AB34 5HE Info@discoverroyaldeeside.com www.discoverroyaldeeside.com