Community tourism conference success

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Download presentations: HERE

CIFAL Findhorn, UNEP, Scotland Highlands and Islands hosted Inverness CT workshop brought together wide range of  participants

Over 70 people who are involved in developing tourism in the Highlands and Islands attended last week’s conference

With support from a number of partners, the ‘Sustainable Tourism: Community Involvement and Staff Development’ event was organised by CIFAL Findhorn, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, at Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s Inverness base, Cowan House.

May East, executive director of CIFAL Findhorn, says the event featured successful community led case studies and a range of influential speakers.

She added: “From policymakers to crofters, community professionals to tourist operators, academic researchers to the media, we all have a vital interest in the current activities, issues, threats and opportunities within the sustainable tourism industry.

“Tourism is a real asset for the Highlands and Islands and we hope that by providing practical real life examples from experts in the fields of low carbon economy, renewable energy systems, sustainable services and green jobs we can help others develop ideas for future initiatives.”

Delegates attending came from tourism businesses, voluntary and public sector organisations, and local development officers from across the area who are actively working to create new income streams from their own community’s assets.

Presentations included:

• Delivering Sustainable Tourism – from Strategy to Frontline Staff by Tom Brock OBE, CEO, Scottish Seabird Centre
• Creating a Sustainable Tourism Business: How to Achieve Staff Buy-in by Dr Andreas Walmsley, York St John University
• Tourism from Grass Roots – the Hidden Britain Approach by James Turner, Hidden Britain
• Sustainability in Guiding Practice – the Nature and Need for Training Guides, by Myles Farnbank  Wilderness Scotland
• Visit Sleat- A Case Study in Sustainable Tourism Thriving Communities and Sustainable Tourism: by Jane McDermot, Visit Sleat
• How does being a National Park help? By Murray Ferguson, Cairngorms National Park

Facilitated Group Discussions included:
Funding, Training, Empowering Communities, Marketing & Partnership Relations and Communicating Sustainable Tourism

Florian Delifer of UNEP presented The Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism – High-impact Joint Projects to Build Sustainable Tourism Worldwide

More information: HERE

Valere Tjolle
Valere is editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite 2011 Special Offers HERE