The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Guide urges visitors to spare the locals by giving overcrowded hotspots a miss
Eco-tourist vision also warns of Edinburgh Castle trips and ‘love locks’
A new VisitScotland tourism guide recommends skipping Edinburgh Castle altogether and warns against the dangers of “social media trends” such as stone-stacking and love locks.
VisitScotland’s first official guide on “how to become an eco-tourist” has been launched in the wake of growing concern about the impact of increasing visitor numbers in Scotland.
These locations include Edinburgh city centre, the Isle of Skye and parts of the Highlands, including those linked to Harry Potter or Outlander books, films and TV series.
The official guide on how to take “eco-friendly” holidays in Scotland advises visitors not to “cram absolutely everything there is to see and do in Scotland” into one trip, and was published ahead of the launch of a tenyear industry vision.
Tourism chiefs warned holidaymakers they may face “unpleasant” overcrowding at popular sites and growing concern from locals about the impact of “over-tourism”. It said that overcrowding “undermines the quality of life for residents” by putting “stress” on public transport.
The guide stated: “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.
“Luckily, there are plenty of simple steps you can take to help combat overtourism by ensuring your visit is as sustainable as possible.”
The eco-guide features links to suggested “slow travel experiences”, and advice on keeping beaches clean.
It urged people not to indulge in the “social media-fuelled trend” of stone stacking or fastening “love locks” to bridges due to their environmental impact.
The guide added: “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.
“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.”
The guide recommended travellers either book a private or small-group with a local guide to tap into their insider knowledge or do extensive research in advance.
It added: “The more time you spend on our website and our blog, the better an understanding you’ll have of the places you want to visit on your itinerary and how much time to spend at each.
“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.”