While campervan users inject money into rural economies on the plus side, by their very nature they can also have a significant adverse impact on fragile, often substandard infrastructure; on other road users; on the lives of residents; on the enjoyment of other types of visitor; and on the natural environment borderingroads.
Moreover, while campervans are growing in number (and size, which is another issue), practical visitor management on the ground has generally not adapted to meet the new challenges, and what management there is comes across as haphazard and uncoordinated.
From the media of all types and numerous conversations it is clear that few residents in most key hotspots believe that management is even remotely fit-for-purpose.
While the situation varies across Scotland, in many parts campervans and the behaviour of their occupants are increasingly seen as the unacceptable face of tourism, and this in turn is impacting on the attitudes and behaviour of some residents towards the industry as a whole. There’s even talk of militant residents
adopting direct action.
A great deal of last September’s Highland Tourism Partnership Strategy Day was devoted to the campervan issue, reflecting its importance to the industry as a whole in that region.
This roundtable is designed to tackle the issues head-on: to bring key players together to identify the issues in more detail and discuss practical, achievable solutions. In short, it is not about the words voiced in the discussion alone; much more importantly, it is about the outcomes that result:
● The actions needed from governments, the public sector, businesses and communities to maximise
the benefits and overcome the problems. These include: investment in infrastructure to reduce
inappropriate wild camping; ensuring that rules and regulations are fit-for-purpose and meet current
and future needs; ensuring that they are enforced, acting as a deterrent that dramatically reduces
unacceptable behaviour; and ensuring that visitors and would-be visitors are educated about what
to expect and how to behave before they arrive.
● Clarity on who leads and who is involved and at what level.
● Identification of the resources required, including the likely cost of different elements, and where the
cash might come from.
● How the results will be monitored
Finally, there is the exclusive nature of the current debate – it is dominated by the public sector. Given the
issue’s growing importance to Scottish tourism, the wide range of interests not represented on the National
Motorhomes, Campervans and Camping Working Group, and the frustration amongst businesses and
communities,
