An examination of wildlife tourism as a sustainable form of tourism development in North West Scotland

Abstract

The far North West of Scotland may be viewed as peripheral in European and UK terms. It has many characteristics associated with remote locations: rural depopulation, marginal economies, high quality natural environment, and cultures in transition from traditional to modern. Tourism is an important element in the survival and revival of the economy of this region as traditional agricultural and fishing industries continue to decline. Tourism has, however, had mixed success, with fluctuating demand and a high incidence of business failure. Forms of wildlife tourism have always been present as an important and relatively stable element of tourism activities in this area. However, the global growth in demand for wildlife tourism has led to the expansion of this sector and a major study has been undertaken into the potential for wildlife tourism in the Minch area of North West Scotland. There is evidence to suggest that, if well managed, and before major expansion occurs, this may be a sustainable form of tourism development in terms of long-term economic benefits, community involvement and support for and preservation of the environmental resources, i.e. the wildlife itself. This paper reviews the background to this development in general then focuses on a case study of a particularly popular form of wildlife tourism, namely cetacean watching. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.