(TAN): Vacationers are being warned to stay away from popular tourist sites such as the Edinburgh Castle by Scotland’s national tourism organisation VisitScotland, reports said.
VisitScotland reportedly launched its first official guide on “how to become an eco-tourist” amid rising concerns about the effects of growing visitor numbers in several parts the country. These parts comprise Edinburgh city centre, the Isle of Skye and parts of the Highlands, especially those related to Harry Potter or Outlander books, films and TV series, as per reports.
The guide advised tourists to have “slow travel experiences” and not to “cram absolutely everything there is to see and do in Scotland into their entire trip” which could lead to “overcrowding”. Instead, it shared how tourists can make the most out of their holiday in “10 simple steps”.
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“With more and more visitors travelling to Scotland than ever before, there is increasing concern about the potential negative impact of tourism on Scotland’s spectacular natural environment, as well as its iconic cities and unique towns and villages,” the ecotourism guide said.
“Many first-time visitors make the mistake of trying to cram absolutely everything there is to see and do in Scotland into their entire trip. This is not only impossible, but has the unintended effect of creating overcrowding in many of our most famous and beloved spots, especially in Edinburgh where many visitors spend just a couple of days. Unfortunately, this not only makes for an unpleasant visitor experience, but also undermines the quality of life for residents by placing undue stress on public transport and infrastructure,” it added while advising on spending more time in one destination.
The guide also recommended visitors to opt for a sustainable mode of travel, properly licensed accommodations, explore with a local guide, do extensive research in advance, avoid trends made fashionable by social media, and sign up for a voluntouring session while travelling across Scotland. It also urged tourists to avoid summer or peak season and visit the country in autumn, winter or spring.
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It reportedly advised visitors to altogether give the overcrowded Edinburgh Castle a miss, and instead choose a place that intrigues them.
“Take Edinburgh, for instance. Unless you have a deep interest in military history, you might want to limit your visit to Edinburgh Castle or skip it all together and instead indulge your deep and abiding love of spirit at the Edinburgh Gin Distillery. Learning as much as you can about an attraction or destination ahead of time will make your visit much more rewarding,” the Edinburgh News quoted the guide as saying.
Chris Greenwood, VisitScotland’s expert on global industry trends, reportedly said tourists realise that their behaviour is affecting their surroundings.
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“There is a real recognition amongst travellers that their behaviours are now having an impact on the world around them, whether it is on the environment or on local communities,” he was quoted by The Scotsman as saying.
“Destinations that have significant issues with overtourism cannot just continue to attract more and more people in. It is about managing visitor numbers and growing tourism without having a detrimental impact. There are overtourism messages coming out of certain places in Scotland at certain times of the year. We need to improve the seasonality and regionality of the industry,” Greenwood added.
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