In conjunction with Building Opportunities in the Biosphere and kindly hosted by Cream o' Galloway, Scottish Land & Estates offer this free to attend event.
Outdoor recreation is widely accepted as a mature and growing industry within Scotland. It has been bolstered in recent years by a trend towards holidaying at home and growing interest in the countryside, both natural and farmed, which has been cultivated by television programmes such as Countryfile and Springwatch. With the recent Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Designation adding a further dimension to the visitor market in the southwest of Scotland, we explore the business opportunities that the outdoor recreation market presents for farmers, landowners, and other rural businesses.
Programme
Chair – Joan Mitchell, Biosphere Partnership Board & Local Farmer
9.30-10.00 Registration and Refreshments – Cream o’ Galloway
10.00-10.10 Welcome and Introductions
Chair
10.10 -10.30 Paula McDonald, Regional Director with Visit Scotland will speak about the outdoor and activity tourism market in Southern Scotland, focussing on existing and potential markets (including wildlife, agricultural,forest, activity, and green tourism), diversification opportunities and challenges such as planning, funding, image, marketing, compatibility and networks.
10.30 - 10.50 Ed Forrest, Building Opportunities in the Biosphere Ed will introduce the UNESCO biosphere designation concept and explain why the designation provides opportunities for rural business in southwest Scotland.
10.50 – 11.10 The Dark Sky Project – The Scottish Dark Sky Observatory, Craigengillan, Dalmellington (to be confirmed) To capitalise on the “Dark Sky Park” and “UNESCO Biosphere” designations enjoyed by Galloway Forest and southern Ayrshire, a new and exciting project to build an astronomical observatory is rapidly nearing completion. Due to open officially on 5 October, The Scottish Dark Sky Observatory will attract dark sky enthusiasts, school groups and interested novices alike. The Observatory’s new manager will tell us about the project and the potential it has to draw new visitors to this area.
11.10-11.25 tea/coffee
11.25-11.50 Activity and Adventure Centre Opportunities – Duncan McConchie, Laggan Outdoor Laggan Outdoor offers activities for visitors which include the UK’s longest zipwire, mountain balling, reverse steer jeep, segway adventure tours to name a few. Duncan will tell us about why the family decided to diversify their business (a traditional beef and sheep farm) into activity tourism, the different market sectors he attracts and how he manages to provide the right experience for each.
11.50-12.15 Providing accommodation and services for the riding, cycling and walking markets – Vyv Wood-Gee Vyv is a freelance countryside management consultant, as well as a keen long distance walker, cyclist and horse-rider, with extensive experience of developing, promoting and managing short and long distance trails from a user and business perspective. Drawing on wide experience around the UK, Vyv will highlight opportunities for business development providing accommodation and services for walkers, cyclists and horse-riders.
12.15-12.35 Joan Mitchell – promoting tourism through walking festivals and branding Joan will discuss the role that walking festivals and branding can have in expanding the tourism potential of an area. Joan has been involved, via community initiatives, with the development of walking festivals and with “walkers welcome” branding, which can provide useful “hooks” to attract visitors to an area that might otherwise be off their radar.
12.35-12:55 Wildlife and Nature-based opportunities - Helen Fenby, Visitor Centre Manager, Cream o’ Galloway Helen has a background as an environmental educator. Helen will tell us about the wildlife and nature-based activities she has introduced at Cream o’ Galloway, and also about an area wide joint promotion initiative which Cream o’ Galloway are involved with.
12.55-13:15 Panel Questions and Answers and Closing statements
13.15-14.00 Lunch and networking at Cream o’ Galloway
14.00-15:00 Cream o’ Galloway Tour and discussionCream o’ Galloway has created a visitor experience out of dairy farming and ice cream production. We’ll hear how their approach not only provides income from the attraction, but how giving the public an understanding of their farming practices helps add value to, and create brand loyalty for, the ice cream product itself.
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