Aberdeenshire gears up for another influx of tourists this year
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With the wintry weather – hopefully – coming to an end, Aberdeenshire is once again looking forward to welcoming an influx of visitors to its countryside and coastline.
Having been battered by a number of damaging storms in the early part of 2024, the region will be enjoying a bit of respite as the Spring and summer months beckon, with residents and visitors eager to get out into the fresh air and enjoy the wealth of sights, scenes and activities the region has to offer.
A council spokesperson said: “A strong tourist season is essential for our villages, towns and rural communities to thrive – and provides a much-needed boost for our hard-working businesses. A mecca for local people and visitors alike, Aberdeenshire relies on a strong tourism strategy to support many of its communities and businesses.
“During recent years, despite the obvious impact of the Covid pandemic, it’s been great so see such strong visitor numbers enjoying the services our communities continue to offer as they support our local shops and services.
“It’s also been heartening so see the vast majority of visitors showing respect for the great outdoors and ensuring our parks, forests and beaches were kept in tip-top condition.
“However, last year there were again a number of issues reported at many of our beautiful locations – most notably damaging fires, littering, dirty camping and public toileting.
“From the stunning sandy shores at Balmedie Country Park to gorgeous Glen Muick in the Cairngorms National Park, these tourist hotspots suffered unnecessary damage. Looking ahead to the forthcoming season, Aberdeenshire Council is once again joining forces with Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and a host of other local partners in a bid to protect the region and ensure everyone can enjoy a fantastic stay in the north-east.”
Leader of Aberdeenshire Council, Cllr Gillian Owen, said: “Our region boasts some of the finest landscapes, stunning beaches, historic castles, top-class golf courses, wonderful food and drink offerings, and world-renowned attractions that Scotland has to offer and we welcome tourists from across the country and beyond with open arms. We want everyone to enjoy our beautiful scenery and attractions, but of course that comes with the need for everyone to treat Aberdeenshire with respect. Through engagement with communities and those invaluable local volunteer teams who continue to help us keep areas clean and tidy, council teams are busy preparing our country parks, beaches and other attractions to ensure that the facilities are in place to welcome visitors and make their stay as pleasant as possible.
Cllr Alan Turner, chair of the Infrastructure Services Committee, added: “We are so grateful that the majority of visitors treat our region with the respect it deserves, but sadly we saw once again last year that some minority elements seem intent on damaging our fragile environment. We don’t want to see repeats of fire-blackened woodlands and dunes habitats damaged by campfires or barbecues nor do we want to see litter blighting our countryside and coastline. Keeping Aberdeenshire litter free requires us all to work together, so whether you are using our parks, countryside or our beaches, the message remains the same: please take your litter home with you.”
In a bid to prevent sites exceeding capacity and traffic congestion, Aberdeenshire Council Ranger Service is once again encouraging people to have a Plan B when visiting the countryside.
The Ranger Service is also reminding us all that the right to countryside access is only applicable when visitors behave responsibly. This is a very busy time for farmers and land managers with lambing continuing to take place across Aberdeenshire and preparations for calving and sowing well underway. We are also about to enter bird nesting season, wildlife which is particularly suspectable to disturbance.
If you are visiting our countryside with a dog it must be under proper control at all times. In areas where there is livestock or ground nesting birds, this means the dog should be on a short lead or close at heel, and you should not enter fields where there is livestock.
Dogs not under proper control can kill or injure livestock or wildlife causing emotional distress for those who have to deal with the aftermath. It’s therefore important that visitors follow reasonable requests and signage and respect those who live and work in our countryside.
When you are out you should not enter farmyards and please stay clear of farm machinery.
If an area feels too busy, move on to your Plan B site.
Echoing messages from many groups including NatureScot and the Cairngorms National Park Authority, our key message remains the same:
Take home or bin your waste
Please ensure you dispose of all litter and bagged dog waste in our bins or, if they are full, take your waste home
Plan ahead
Some hotspots could be busy and car parks will undoubtedly fill up quickly – so check the relevant website and be prepared to move to your Plan B site
Be responsible
Take extra care to follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, especially on farmland
For more detail on the code please visit www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot
Meanwhile, toilets operated by Aberdeenshire Council and community groups will be opened from April to September from 8am-8pm.
You can find out where they are here:
