RESTORE, REDEVE LOP AND ENHANCE
“We are in a great position to seize the sustainable opportunity and create a better Orkney for visitors and locals alike.”
Restoring, redeveloping and enhancing Orkney’s internationally renowned tourism offering is the key priority for 2021 and further ahead, according to Visitscotland’s development manager for Orkney, Cheryl Chapman.
This year presents an excellent opportunity to “reset” the tourism industry here in Orkney, she says, as efforts to rebuild a sustainable, responsible and environmentally friendly sector, that can provide long-lasting benefits to the local community are made.
Orkney’s tourist industry has been a real economic success story in recent years.
An industry worth at least £67million to the local economy prior to the pandemic, Orcadians have grown accustomed to extending their famed friendly welcome to the thousands of visitors each year who grace our shores.
But in any time of upheaval there are opportunities, and although Orkney has been seriously impacted by the pandemic, Cheryl believes opportunities now exist to develop the sector and strengthen our model of tourism to ensure that millions of pounds continue to pour into the local economy.
“Orkney and Scotland are destinations which remain very much in demand. People love our country and we see that in the responses to our social media, newsletters and through searches on the www.visitscotland.com website,” the development manager says.
“Orkney is perfectly placed in terms of responding to the tourism trends that are emerging and have been heightened by what we have all been experiencing as a result of COVID-19.
“Visitors are interested in travelling with a purpose — that includes improving their health and wellbeing with mindfulness and wellness experiences; improving themselves physically through exercise and adventure such as hiking, cycling and wild swimming; and improving the world by taking part in volunteering experiences that benefit the community and environment.
“While we know tourism businesses have been grappling with surviving the pandemic, this is a time when they might also start considering how they could respond to these new opportunities going forward.”
With hundreds of miles of coastline, beautiful beaches and views as far as the eye can see, these islands are a paradise for those keen to get a break from busy city life.
A jewel in Orkney’s crown is the unrivalled Neolithic archaeology, with our most famous treasures — Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, the Standing Stones of Stenness and Maeshowe — forming the keystones of the UNESCO Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site. This has been further enhanced with the exciting discoveries at the Ness of Brodgar where visitors can experience a live excavation throughout the summer.
As well as the stunning coastal views and exceptional heritage and history, visitors flock to these islands to immerse themselves in the diverse array of fascinating wildlife, to enjoy our award-winning food and drink, and experience a one-of-a-kind shopping trail around our unique and innovative small local retailers, jewellers, crafters and artists.
The special experiences that can be discovered on Mainland Orkney and its outer isles draw visitors back year on year. Traditionally, the majority of visitors — whether that be cruise ship passengers, day trippers or those holidaying here — arrive in the summer, taking advantage of the myriad of festivals and events that take place during the warmer months of the year.
This is something tourism leaders are keen to build on and expand — they want to encourage visitors to sample the delights of Orkney in the quieter autumn and winter months.
With the change in seasons, Orkney’s rugged beauty and seascapes is amplified — the exhilarating stormy winter weather is guaranteed to provide an impressive backdrop for any would-be photographer, artist or wildlife-watcher.
“Orkney is as exciting in the winter as it is in the summer,” says Cheryl, who first made the journey to Orkney as a holiday visitor and returned many times including in the depths of winter, before moving here permanently.
“There’s a real opportunity here to extend the visitor seasons and to spread the benefits of tourism around the islands. That sense of getting away from it all, which will be an even more compelling reason to travel now, is
something the outer isles are perfectly placed to offer. It is the perfect time to adapt.”
Cheryl says there is no doubt that the path forward is uncertain and the situation remains very fluid, but in the first instance, as travel restrictions ease, businesses will be catering for a largely domestic market.
”An innovative and creative approach, delivering unique experiences that focus on things like luxury, family, and food and drink will be required to cater for those who know Orkney well, and are looking for something new as well as rediscovering some favourite places,” she says.
“Developments, which could be anything from exploring and delving further into Orkney’s Viking past, to capitalising on our coastal location and marine tourism, or further promoting Orkney as a fantastic walking or cycling holiday location, will enhance and shape the sector for years to come.”
Reassuringly, Orkney boasts the natural assets, the expertise, entrepreneurship and, crucially, the desire to grow a sustainable and responsible tourism sector which can flourish once again.
Cheryl says: “We are blessed with great natural assets, a rich and diverse history and heritage, wildlife and walking, and endlessly resourceful people.
“It has been tough for tourism, and we still have a difficult road to travel; however we are in a great position to seize the sustainable opportunity and create a better Orkney for visitors and locals alike.”