Scottish tourism chiefs launch good behaviour marketing campaign to guard landscapes and wildlife as restrictions are eased

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A nationwide campaign calling on Scots to behave responsibly in their own country this year and “leave no trace of their visit” was unveiled.

Monday, March 22, 2021, 12:52 p.m.

“/>VisitScotland wants Scots to understand the ramifications of going out in the countryside as restrictions ease this year.

Weeks ahead of the expected easing of travel restrictions and the reopening of visitor attractions, hotels, bars and restaurants if the country emerges from the lockdown, efforts are being made to protect landscapes, wildlife and local communities.

Tourism, wildlife and environmental associations and organizations have come together to avoid potential problems with “dirty camping”, trash, broken glass, fire hazards, litter disposal, traffic jams and poor parking as restrictions are eased over the next few weeks and months .

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The £ 124,000 campaign emerged from a new “visitor management strategy” developed in the wake of the pandemic that sparked “unprecedented visitor demand” in many parts of Scotland when the initial ban was lifted last summer.

“/> The £ 124,000 campaign started today. Image: VisitScotland / Luigi Di Pasquale

The new strategy aims to ‘build Scotland’s reputation as a sustainable tourism destination’ by ensuring that the environment is protected, local communities are respected and the visitor’s experience is not compromised.

The Scottish government’s VisitScotland tourism agency, which runs the campaign, said it was developed after some parts of Scotland saw “massive increases” in domestic visitors to rural and coastal areas, putting pressure on communities, facilities and infrastructure.

Older teenagers and young adults are among the target groups of the campaign, which is mainly aimed at a domestic audience. Future phases are likely to be adapted for travelers from across the UK and overseas.

A short film was launched today to mark the start of the campaign and will be broadcast on billboards, social media channels and on the radio.

“/> The new Responsible Tourism Campaign was launched today by VisitScotland.

Vicki Miller, VisitScotland’s Marketing Director, said, “This campaign is hugely important especially at this time as we all have more outdoor fun due to restrictions in other areas of the tourism industry.

“It is imperative that we recognize the impact of our visits to these areas and our individual and collective responsibility for the care of Scotland.

“We want to protect the breathtaking landscapes and wildlife that Scotland is famous for and the local communities that are such an important part of our culture.

“We ask everyone to make Scotland special by making sure we protect our natural resources, by being responsible and respectful when we are out and about.

“We have the unique opportunity to positively involve the public in order to enjoy nature responsibly and to jointly develop and coordinate a Scotland-wide strategy

Approach to protecting what is there for future visitors and to support the recreation of our rural area

Malcolm Roughead, CEO of VisitScotland, added: “As more people enjoy the outdoors when the weather improves and the plan to lift lockdowns in late April is lifted, we ask everyone to make Scotland special by asking make sure we all protect our natural resources.

“We ask visitors to protect our landscape, respect the local communities, wildlife and landscapes, while still enjoying the beautiful natural resources we have across the country.

“We have a unique opportunity to positively engage audiences and work with businesses, destinations and communities to ensure that visitors and locals alike can have a fantastic experience when tourism begins to rebuild.”

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