A Call for Support: A 10 Year Sustainable Tourism Strategy For Skye, Raasay & Lochalsh

SkyeConnect, as Skye’s designated Destination Management Organisation (DMO), is leading the calls for a transformative initiative to develop a comprehensive 10-year sustainable tourism strategy for Skye, Raasay, and Lochalsh. 

Recognising the absence of a long-term tourism plan and the growing pressures on infrastructure, community, environment, and the tourism economy, this strategy could be developed through a collaborative multi-stakeholder ‘Team Skye, Raasay & Lochalsh’ approach. 

This ensures a united front involving key stakeholders from the community and local businesses, plus key organisations such as tourism bodies, Highland Council, HIE, SARF, transport service providers, and opinion leaders. 

The aim is to position Skye as a leader in 21st-century tourism by prioritising sustainable growth, resilience building, and community enhancement. Some of the strategic priorities for this initiative include:

1. Inclusion: Ensuring the strategy benefits all community members.
2. Innovation: Leveraging new ideas for sustainable tourism, resilience, and community enhancement.

3. Collaboration: Working together with public, private and third sector stakeholders. 

The hope is that a strategy can be developed that will align with global standards for sustainable tourism, aiming to make Skye, Raasay and Lochalsh world leaders in this field. It seeks to ensure Skye thrives as a sustainable community, benefiting from and contributing to its tourism industry, and articulating how tourism can positvely impact the island. 

The successful implementation of a strategy like this will position Skye as a model for sustainable, resilient, and community-enhancing tourism, balancing growth with environmental and social responsibility.

Further information about this initiative and how you can get involved will be shared in the coming weeks.