Windfarms ‘pose threat to tourism’

IMPACT: Survey reveals walkers put off by turbines

Windfarms pose a major risk to the hillwalking industry, Mountaineering Scotland has claimed.

The body, which represents mountain lovers, said two thirds of its members, do not like to see turbines when in the hills and 22% said that they avoided areas with turbines.

The survey contradicts a recent report which said turbines have no impact on visitors to Scotland’s mountains.

More than 1,400 Mountaineering Scotland members responded to a survey which sought their views on a range of subjects, including the organisation’s policy on protecting mountain landscapes from insensitive developments.

The members who avoid areas with windfarms or go less often compares with just 2% who said they were encouraged to visit the mountains more often because of windfarms.

Mountaineering Scotland chief executive David Gibson said: “This survey gives us some important evidence about the real impact windfarms in

DAVID GIBSON

inappropriate mountain locations can have on the behaviour of hillwalkers and potentially other mountain users – but the impact goes more widely than this.

“If hillwalkers avoid visiting areas affected by wind development then local communities will lose the money hillwalking visitors bring to shops, places to stay and other visitor-related businesses.

“Hillwalkers are likely to be particularly sensitive consumers of landscape. They are therefore a barometer in terms of identifying wider tourism impacts from windfarms.

“Mountain recreation is a significant tourism market in Scotland. Walking tourism was estimated to bring £627m to the Scottish economy in 2008.”

However, clean energy campaigners say windfarms are vital.

Jenny Hogan, from Scottish Renewables, said: “Climate change remains the greatest threat to Scotland’s environment, and the pressing need to tackle it means we must clean up our energy system as quickly as possible. Wind energy is one of the most effective, most popular and cheapest ways to do so.”

Mountain recreation is a significant tourism market in Scotland.