0 Marine and Wildlife Tourism in Scotland

Provide an introduction to Marine and Wildlife tourism in Scotland, by briefly charting the history of this niche development in Scotland, and, making reference to the international leaders (countries/destinations) in this field whom Scotland could learn from for future development.

Marine and wildlife tourism has developed as a response to the growing number of people who are interesting in combining conservation efforts with their holiday or vacation time. Over the past few decades, there has been an increasing demand for tourism that incorporates aspects of the natural environment and actually promotes, rather than degrades, the natural environment (Lane, 2009). One of the most important aspects of marine and wildlife tourism is ensuring that this type of tourism encourages a real interaction with nature whilst promoting the conservation efforts in place in the area. This allows the consumer to achieve their desired holiday experience whilst the natural environment continues to thrive without too much disturbance from human interference. Marine and wildlife tourism draws inferences from a wide variety of areas outside the tourism sector, including conservation biology and behavioural ecology. It is bringing the ideas of these different research areas that give a good wildlife tourist experience.

One of the most important agencies for marine and wildlife tourism in Scotland is Wild Scotland. It is a not-for-profit agency which provides tourists with opportunities to engage in wildlife and activity holidays with professionals in the area (Lane, 2009). Initially founded in 2003, Wild Scotland incorporated Activity Scotland in 2011 and now covers all the responsible nature tourism available in Scotland. Wild Scotland suggest that they understand nature tourism to be a commercial operation that needs to be maintained economically, ecologically and environmentally to continue to be able to offer nature tourism in Scotland in the future. This sentiment is shared with other marine and wildlife tourism bodies across the world (Moscardo et al, 2001).

Australia is one of the world leaders in offering wildlife and marine tourism (Moscardo et al, 2001). This is no doubt in part due to the unique species that can be found in many areas of Australia, but the marketing and conservation efforts of the resorts and the government also play a part. For example, the David Fleay Wildlife Park on the Gold Coast breeds rare and endangered animals (Moscardo et al, 2001), which means that the native species are being cared for and tourists are being offered the opportunity to see something unique. Scotland can definitely learn from this in future development by emphasizing the fact that the Moray Firth and other Scottish marine areas are the best places to see dolphins and whales in the UK (Wilson et al, 1997). Offering something which is unique to the customer will enhance the profits of the area and ensure that visitors keep coming back.

The Australian organisation Wildlife Tourism Australia is also an important reference point for many countries wishing to expand on their marine and wildlife tourism sectors. This organisation acts as an important mediator between tourism and conservation of the area. It also encourages donations to wildlife parks that may make conservation efforts easier (Moscardo et al, 2001). This may be particularly useful in future development; using some of the money made from wildlife and marine tourism to promote the conservation of the local environment. This direction would help ameliorate some of the problems that come from expanding the tourism industry in such important conservation areas. It would also be a selling point to the consumer who wants to make sure that they give back to the environment.

Then evaluate the social, economic and environmental value of marine and wildlife tourism that can be gained by Scotland from the development of this specialist tourism.

Marine and wildlife tourism holds a spectacular amount of value for Scotland. As an area of the world with a number of unique species (Lane, 2009) and beautiful natural landscape, Scotland has a lot to offer to the tourist wishing to invest in this type of escape. The marine and wildlife tourism industry has grown in the last few decades (Reynolds & Braithwaite, 2001) and therefore Scotland stands to do very well economically from this growth if proper measures are put in place to ensure healthy development of the niche. Additionally, as it is a specialist tourism it is possible to promote the area as being outstanding in this field and therefore to start to dominate the market if the appropriate measures are put in place. To do this, it could be useful to incorporate measures that promote the elements of marine and wildlife tourism that only Scotland can offer, such as the unique species and landscapes present in the area (Lane, 2009).

This type of tourism also holds a potential environmental value. If the economics of the country begin to rely heavily on wildlife and marine tourism, there will be a pressure to preserve the elements of the natural landscape which are important to this trade (Reynolds & Braithwaite, 2001). This means that conservation efforts will be doubled in an attempt to preserve the industry. Additionally, a number of the tourists who enjoy this type of specialist tourism have an interest in conservation and ecology (Reynolds & Braithwaite, 2001), and therefore part of the industry could have a focus on conserving the natural environment. These elements combined could be incredibly beneficial to Scotland’s ecology because there are dual forces putting pressure on the area to continue to uphold standards of environmental care.

Evidently, there are problems with putting pressure on the natural environment to sustain tourism, particularly for the environment. Managers of such tourism need to ensure that the value of the environment is not degraded by huge numbers of tourists visiting the area. Overgrowth of marine and wildlife tourism could destroy the very environment which it aims to protect. This is particularly likely to happen if growth of the sector requires more accommodation and activity buildings to be built to sustain the number of tourists that are visiting the area. Architectural growth requires land which may have previously been an important part of the natural environment. Not only this, but building sites are often extremely disruptive to the natural environment in a wider area than they themselves encompass (Cole, 2000), which means care needs to be taken to ensure the growth in tourism is healthy for the marine and land areas in which they are based.

The social value that wildlife and marine tourism could have for Scotland is more difficult to define. If the natural environment has an economic value, then there may be more of a social drive to protect it (Lane, 2009). This could mean an enhanced social emphasis on the way that the natural environment is treated. There may be more social pressure for conservation projects which play an important part in protecting this resource. Increased interest in the natural environment as a commodity could lead some individuals to become more socially involved with the natural environment, perhaps by cultivating an academic interest in behavioural ecology or conservation biology. Additionally, there could be some social pride in the local wildlife and marine landscapes because of their value as part of the tourism industry. Evidently, the social, environmental and economic values of the marine and wildlife tourism of the area are all interdependent, with fluctuations in one value having an effect on the other.

Discuss how developments in Scotland should be managed, by whom (e.g. government, private sector operators code of practice, tourism management issues) and safeguards that could be put in place. In essence analyse the requirements for a holistic approach to managing the development; specifically the tensions between balancing economic development and sustainable tourism practices.

            Evidently, the marine and wildlife tourism industry in Scotland will have to be managed to ensure that the market is expanding as it should. Perhaps most important is making sure that tourism is having a limited impact on the natural environment. The dilemma of managing economic development and sustainable tourism is one that has been much debated in the literature as it poses a problem in every area of tourism, but is perhaps most important in an industry which relies on sustainability for future successes. This problem means that the management of Scottish marine and wildlife tourism need to incorporate many different elements to ensure the evolution of the industry in a safe but economically beneficial manner, which means that there may need to be safeguards and other limits put in place on the industry.

            Perhaps the best course of action would be to place much of the management into governmental hands. The government could then place laws and restrictions about the type of tourism activity that can occur in certain areas. An example of this occurring can be taken from the Botswana government, which is heavily involved in the control and subsidisation of wildlife tourism activities within the country. It seems that this has been beneficial because Botswana has seen an increase in wildlife tourism profits since the government took more control over this type of tourism (Barnes et al, 1992). This suggests also that placing restrictions on activity may not have a detrimental effect on the economics of wildlife and marine tourism.

            Government involvement could also help to dictate a private operator code of practise. In the U.K., the government typically has a high involvement in the natural environment, particularly in marine areas. This is usually with the aim of maintaining important fish and shellfish stocks, such as those found in Morecambe Bay (Meadowcroft & Blundell, 2004). In these areas, private operators are allowed to exist freely as long as they comply with codes of practise put in place to protect the natural environment and the economic value of the area. This would be extremely appropriate for a Scottish approach to marine and wildlife tourism because it would allow freedom for tourism companies within certain limits that maintained a balance between economic growth and sustainability.

            Safeguards that could be put in place to protect the natural environment should include limits on the building activity in the area. One of the most disruptive parts of economic expansion comes from building sites and increased habitation (Cole, 2000). Evidently, there will need to be some expansion to provide for growth in the area, but limits on the heights of buildings and the amount of land space they can occupy would be useful in protecting native species and their environment (Cole, 2000). Tourist activities could also be limited during important seasons, such as nesting season, which would help prevent disruption to important species and minimise human impact on the area (Newsome et al, 2005).

            Essentially, an appropriate response to wildlife and marine tourism in Scotland needs to be holistic. It needs to allow room for growth for this niche tourism to become a viable source of economic activity, but it also needs to maintain the environment from which it profits. To do this, there need to be some limits on how the operations are run. The most effective way of doing this is to have some government involvement because this can make certain actions illegal, which is more threatening than breaking the code of a not-for-profit organization (Barnes et al, 1992). This government intervention can be supplemented with the efforts of wildlife tourism agencies and other organizations interested in the conservation of the areas, which would help maximise the sustainability of such tourist activities during their expansion.

Provide recommendations on how Scotland generally and the Moray Firth area specifically can be developed in the future, thinking specifically marketing niche products and protecting the wildlife.

            Perhaps the most important part of developing the wildlife and marine tourism of the area needs to be ensuring that the wildlife and marine environment is protected. This is to fall in line with some important UK environment laws, and to ensure that the area which is attracting these tourists remains in a state to continue to be an attraction for years to come. Development in the area, particularly around the coastline, needs to be kept to a sustainable level, although growth will be needed if plans are to make Scotland and Moray Firth into wildlife and marine tourist attractions. Additionally, this growth will need to fall in line with UK regulations.

            One of the most attractive thing about the Moray Firth area in particular is that it is home to a large number of whales and dolphins (Wilson et al, 1997). This means that the marine wildlife is going to be particularly important to tourists, as they will come here in search of interaction with these animals. Any wildlife tourist operator should be wise enough to capitalise on this aspect of Moray Firth, with marketing being aimed at those who want to experience whale and dolphin spotting whilst on holiday. Special accommodation should be developed to maximise potential in the Moray Firth area, preferably with a view of the coastal area to allow visitors to have more interaction with the marine environment. It would also be wise to offer specialist boat trips, but these need to be limited in breeding season to ensure that the whales and dolphins are not disturbed during this important time.

            Chanonry Point in the Moray Firth area is well-known for being one of the best places in the UK to see a bottlenose dolphin (Wilson et al, 1997). This means that the area already has a huge amount of potential for marine wildlife tourism. Several marketing developments could be used to ensure that the area maintains its appeal and to make sure that all wildlife enthusiasts know that Chanonry Point is important for the UK marine ecology. Developments could also be made to ensure that Spey Bay and North Kessock are important places for marine wildlife spotting and conservation. This is particularly important because visitor centres in these two areas are run by the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (Wilson et al, 1997). Co-operation with the society would mean that the preservation of the area in the way most appropriate for the natural environment could be attained whilst also developing it as a visitor attraction.

            The Inner Moray Firth is also important, as it encompasses a Special Protection Area and a Special Area of Conservation (Wilson et al, 1997). This can be used to promote wildlife tourism in the area, but special care will need to be taken to ensure appropriate action is taken to make sure that operators stay within the limits of what can be done within these designated areas. Development for tourist provisions will need to be kept well away from these areas to ensure that full protection is given to the wildlife. A good idea for getting visitors involved in the natural environment without damage would be to offer conservation holidays (Lane, 2009), which would allow them to be part of the work going on in these areas. A good marketing point could be to emphasize the fact that the area has unique species within the UK, and tied into the dolphin and whale spotting mentioned previously. A final way of marketing the area would be to encourage visitors from Scotland and other parts of the UK. This would be good in the current economic climate as many people are choosing to take cheaper holidays (Newsome et al, 2005). 

References

Barnes, J., Burgess, J., Pearce, D., 1992. Wildlife tourism. Economics for the wilds 136–151.

Cole, R.J., 2000. Building environmental assessment methods: assessing construction practices. Construction Management & Economics 18, 949–957.

Lane, B., 2009. Implementing sustainable tourism in Scotland: An interview.

Meadowcroft, J., Blundell, J., 2004. The Morecambe bay cockle pickers: market failure or government disaster? Economic Affairs 24, 69–71.

Moscardo, G., Woods, B., Greenwood, T., (Australia), C.R.C. for S.T., 2001. Understanding visitor perspectives on wildlife tourism. CRC for Sustainable Tourism Gold Coast.

Newsome, D., Dowling, R.K., Moore, S.A., 2005. Wildlife Tourism. Channel View Publications.

Reynolds, P.C., Braithwaite, D., 2001. Towards a conceptual framework for wildlife tourism. Tourism management 22, 31–42.

Wilson, B., Thompson, P.M., Hammond, P.S., 1997. Habitat use by bottlenose dolphins: seasonal distribution and stratified movement patterns in the Moray Firth, Scotland. Journal of Applied Ecology 1365–1374.