The ‘Snow Roads’ scenic route will see many businesses within and surrounding the Cairngorms National Park benefit greatly from increased tourism that the new route will bring.
The ‘Snow Roads’ route will develop a scenic tourist route running through the heart of the Cairngorms National park and enhance further the iconic journey through Cairngorms, linking Blairgowrie in Perthshire to Grantown-on-Spey in the Highlands (A939) via Glenshee, Braemar, Ballater and Tomintoul.
Scott Morrison, the managing director of Dunrobin Castle in Sutherland, addressed businesses attending the Cairngorms Business Partnership Spring Conference themed around the ‘Snow Roads’ initiative and hailed the record breaking visitor numbers to the Castle as a product of the successful ‘North Coast 500’ route ; annual visitor numbers have gone from 67,000 to 85,000 since this route was launched.
As Scott Morrison stated, “My advice for businesses in and around the Snow Roads is to grab hold of the opportunity and make it work for you. I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences and demonstrating the benefits a route like this can bring to communities.”
The ‘Snow Roads’ initiative will cost £315,000 and a £245,000 grant from Scottish Enterprise has been awarded under the Tourism Development Fund. The Cairngorms Business Partnership and Cairngorms National Park Authority will supplement the remaining funding.
The Cairngorms Business Partnership will deliver the Snow Roads initiative with the appointment of a Project Manager. Jennifer Green is now in post for the next two years to commission the latest in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality technology, and to collate local stories and legends for the creation of a digital toolkit which will bring the route to life for visitors.
Head of Visitor Services with the Cairngorms National Park Authority, Peter Crane said, “We have already received great support from local land owners and communities regarding the installations along the route and there is a real excitement building for the project among all involved. Together with the Cairngorms Business Partnership we will drive the project forward to create a truly inspiring and immersive scenic route.”
Mark Tate, the chief executive of the Cairngorms Business Partnership, explained the aim is to create a must-do scenic route through the Cairngorms National Park. He concluded, “We have an exciting opportunity to create a truly immersive visitor experience and a destination road which will have a major positive economic impact on communities and businesses along the route.”
