Published: Wednesday, 25th June, 2008 12:00
County takes steps to attract more tourists
By Nicola Findlay
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Tourism manager Sarah Cameron is excited about recent developments designed to bring more visitors to Clackmannanshire.
Pic by: David Robertson
TOURISM in Clackmannanshire is set to go from strength to strength with a whole range of new initiatives to boost visitor numbers to the county.
Businesses, individuals and volunteers are coming together to promote the area’s natural environment and its rich heritage.
Clackmannanshire Tourism Association has just been granted Limited status and will now be known as Clackmannanshire Tourism Ltd, making it easier for the organisation to obtain charitable status and protect all those involved.
The website has also been revamped to encourage more people to get involved, and the county will hold it’s first ever walking festival in September.
Tourism manager Sarah Cameron told the Advertiser, “We have got lots of exciting things happening at the moment such as an all new and improved website.
“Although there have been changes it is still a work in progress and we are really keen to get feedback.
“There is an events guide, so if anyone has any events they think would be of interest they can email them to me and I will add them to the list – and we have also added a forum so people can chat.
“There is useful information about the area on the website and we really want as many people as possible to use it and become involved in what we are doing.”
The up-coming walking festival, which will run from 18-22 September, will see Clackmannanshire Tourism Ltd join forces with the council’s countryside rangers, biodiversity officers and even CAMRA – the Campaign for Real Ale – who will be hosting pub walks.
Volunteers who have expertise in the area’s heritage will lead walks, and soldiers have also given up their days off to lead more challenging walks.
Sarah went on, “Everyone involved is really looking forward to it and there will be three to four walks a day.
“Path to Health is helping us with funding and will help us reach people that don’t normally do a lot of walking. It is about getting the local community to realise all the assets they have right here in their doorsteps.
“The walks won’t just be in the Ochil Hills but will be all over Clackmannanshire. There will be tower walks and walks round Gartmorn Dam as well as by the river. The walking festival is something new and exciting designed to get more people involved in what we are doing. There will be a walk to suit everyone.”
The walks will give visitors and locals the chance to learn more about the history and biodiversity in Clackmannanshire, with bat walks at night on offer.
Sarah believes the recently published accommodation and catering guide has proved a success, with a reprint ordered meaning more local business can be included in it.
A new golf biodiversity project is in its initial stages which will see local golf courses working with the Scottish Golf Environmental Group to create a management plan to encourage biodiversity on their courses and, hopefully, bring more golfers in to the county.
And a small gift shop has been set up at Gartmorn Dam to analyse the feasibility of a more permanent shop, with Candis Cuisine getting on board and selling snacks.
Sarah added, “Clackmannanshire Tourism Ltd aims to make the best of what we have to attract people to the county.
“It also allows a lot of small businesses to come together and create a vehicle to start to market themselves further afield and draw everything together to create Clackmannanshire as a package – the strap line ‘More than you can Imagine’ is actually very true.”
Anyone interested in finding out more should go to www.clackmannanshiretourism.com.
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