Area Tourism Partnership Plan, Highlands
Consultation questionnaire, 2006
 
The Area Tourism Partnership in the Highlands is producing a new strategy for tourism in the Highlands and would welcome your views about what should be done to improve and grow tourism in the Highlands in the next three years.

Please answer at least Q1 and as many of the other questions as you have time for, and supply your contact details before pressing Submit to send your reply.
 
Q1 What do you think are the most important challenges facing the tourism industry in the Highlands during the next 3 years?
 
 
Q2 What do you think should be done about these issues, and by whom?
 
 
Q3 What else can be done to improve and grow tourism in the Highlands?

We've broken the space for your comments into four sections below - a) to d)

a) Knowing your market
 
 
  b) Exceeding visitors' expectations
 
 
  c) Marketing your product
 
 
  d) Being sustainable
 
 
The 14 targets from the new national tourism strategy are listed below. We would welcome any comments you are able to give on any (one, some or all) of the targets. For example, is the target relevant to the Highlands? What does it mean for tourism in your area, and for your own business or organisation? How (if at all) could you contribute to the target?
 
Q7 Target 1 - talks about the creation of a Tourism Research Network to increase knowledge about visitors and drive product enhancement
 
 
Q8 Target 2 - All tourism businesses, local authorities and other organisations, to collect feedback from their own customers, to help them 'know their visitor' - who they are, why they have come and what they want out of their trip - and inform their business strategies
 
 
Q9 Target 3 - VisitScotland to increase accommodation membership of QA (quality assurance) schemes to 90% of providers by end 2008, and develop schemes for more sectors etc
 
 
Q10 Target 4 - Pride and Passion to double the number of 'Friends' each year until 2010, to help improve quality - target of 3,000 'Friends' nationally by 2010
 
 
Q11 Target 5 - People 1st and partners to develop a Training Action Plan for the tourism industry, to improve both staff satisfaction and customer satisfaction. This Plan will focus on 3 main skills areas: 1) Management and Leadership; 2) Workforce skills, especially customer service and chef skills; 3) Retention of staff
 
 
Q12 Target 6 - Scottish Executive to help provide affordable homes where needed most
 
 
Q13 Target 7 - Sets a target for the Tourism Innovation Group to encourage joint working between tourism operators to plan product and sectoral development in line with customer needs. The aim is to increase repeat visits to Scotland, and increase the chances that visitors will recommend Scotland as a great place to visit
 
 
Q14 Target 8 - Tourism businesses will work with local authorities and culture, heritage and sports organisations to set up local product development networks for heritage, history and events segment of the market. These networks will develop and market, with VisitScotland support, new products which anticipate and exceed visitor demands
 
 
Q15 Target 9 - all businesses, including those operated by public and voluntary sectors, to be using e-technology (eg internet booking, e-marketing etc) by 2010
 
 
Q16 Target 10 - Talks about the Scottish Executive and VisitScotland studying how best to develop a National Box Office
 
 
Q17 Target 11 - Talks about the publication by the Scottish Executive of a National Transport Strategy in 2006 and a Strategic Projects Review in 2007. In 2006 the Executive will also carry out research into the travel behaviour of visitors to Scotland
 
 
Q18 Target 12 - Talks about all tourism businesses, local authorities, VisitScotland, visitscotland.com and other organisations using effective marketing techniques to increase number of visitors coming to Scotland as a direct result of marketing
 
 
Q19 Target 13 - Tourism businesses and VisitScotland to increase membership of Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) each year, so that by 2010, 30% of businesses who participate in the VisitScotland QA scheme will be at entry level to GTBS or above. By 2015, the aim is for all QA tourism businesses to be at least at entry level to GTBS
 
 
Q20 Target 14 - Talks about the creation of a new Sustainable Tourism Forum from March 2006. This will involve private industry partners as well as public agencies and other organisations, with the aim of promoting sustainable tourism throughout Scotland
 
 
Q21 If you have suggestions for any other targets for tourism in the Highlands, or would like to make any other relevant comments, please write them below.
 
 
Q22 It would be helpful if you could supply your contact details below (name, and which business/organisation you represent):
 
 
Area Tourism Partnership, Highlands
The Area Tourism Partnership (ATP) in the Highlands includes representatives from: the tourism industry (via the local tourism fora); Highland Council (elected members and officers); Highlands & Islands Enterprise and Local Enterprise Companies; VisitScotland; Forestry Commission; Cairngorms National Park Authority; Scottish Natural Heritage; and HiTrans.
 
Snedden Economics Ltd is registered under the Data Protection Act 1998. Any details you supply will be treated in confidence and used solely for the purposes of this consultation.