A set of guidelines
drawn up by wildlife tourism businesses to highlight best practice in
wildlife-watching have been given an international stamp of approval.
The
guidelines developed by Wild Scotland, the wildlife tourism operators
association (www.wild-scotland.co.uk) were chosen from an international shortlist and will appear in a
special publication called Spotlight as a prime example of best practice to
mark the inaugural World Responsible Tourism Day on 14 November.
The Wild
Scotland Best Practice Guidelines for Wildlife Watching represent the first industry-approved
standards for ensuring wildlife tourism in Scotland is sustainable in the
long-term for both rural communities and the environment.
World
Responsible Tourism Day coincided with the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, the largest international
travel trade event that attracts more than 45,000 delegates from 200 countries.
Caroline
Warburton, Wild Scotland’s manager, said: “We are delighted that our Best
Practice codes have been included in Spotlight for World Responsible Tourism
Day.
“The tour
operators and activity providers who are members of Wild Scotland felt that it
was important for us as an industry to have clear guidelines on how we should
conduct responsible wildlife watching.
“There are
many codes of conduct already available, however very few relate to the
cumulative effects of commercial wildlife watching or take into the
consideration the balance which a wildlife watching company needs to consider
between providing an excellent wildlife experience whilst minimising impacts on
the animals themselves.
The Wild
Scotland Best Practice Guidelines for Wildlife Watching were produced by
wildlife tourism businesses keen to provide clear guidance to other commercial
wildlife watching companies on how to provide an enjoyable wildlife watching
experience without having a detrimental effect on the wildlife itself.
They were
compiled by the association in consultation with their members and represent
the first industry-focused guidelines for wildlife watching in Scotland. Wild Scotland works
closely with VisitScotland and other
agencies on marketing and other business development issues.
Wild Scotland’s guidelines were chosen from
submissions from around the world and demonstrate how tourism businesses in a
destination such as Scotland,
can take responsibility for their actions and impacts by using their collective
experience to establish best practice.
For more
information contact: Sarah Lee :: 0131
225 3875 :: 077 66 542110 :: sarah@hottinroof.co.uk
