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ALDERNEY: Living Islands ____________________________________________________________________________ Research & Development Assessment
1. Executive Summary
1.1 Background
This report has been prepared by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (YWT) with the assistance of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) at Leeds Metropolitan University, at the request of Alderney Wildlife Trust (AWT), The Alderney Society and the States of Alderney (SoA). The report is based on research in the six month period from late January to July 2013.
YWT has been successfully running its Yorkshire Nature Tourism Triangle project since February 2010. There is an obvious commonality between the threats to the prosperity of eastern Yorkshire, and the recent difficulties experienced by Alderney’s tourism economy. For example both locations feature various iconic species (puffins, gannets, guillemots, razorbills, etc.) and historic sites (fortifications, churches, etc.) that are relatively unknown, but can be seen comparatively easily.
This report will demonstrate that there is the potential to tap into the rapid global growth in wildlife and heritage tourism, to support a revival in Alderney’s fortunes. Importantly, on Alderney, the two strands are remarkably closely interlinked, with Victorian or German fortifications often forming a key element of the landscape, and interest, of the island’s natural sites.
The States of Alderney has already concluded that the future health of its tourism sector, the largest segment of the local economy, will depend on effective marketing and PR activity in specific niches such as angling, aviation, historical heritage, sailing, walking & outdoor activity, and wildlife. It set up a team supported by consultants Be a Tiger to develop this approach for the 2013 season and beyond.
At the same time, various development proposals to create employment and growth in Alderney have been put forward to SoA, and given that some of these could threaten the relatively unspoilt island habitats and heritage that visitors are coming to enjoy, it is important to consider the economic and social value of those natural and historical assets that might be jeopardised by a short term “dash for growth”. This report presents the visitor research, assesses the potential contribution of wildlife and heritage visitors to the economy, and outlines the actions in marketing, capacity development and physical infrastructure that will be needed to make this happen.
1.2 Current status of wildlife and heritage tourism in Alderney
Significant numbers of visitors in our research identify wildlife (50%) and historic heritage (24%) among their three main reasons for visiting Alderney. There are high overall levels of satisfaction (96%) with their visits. Given the island’s overall low level of awareness in its most important travel market (the UK) , and probably even lower knowledge in the significant northern European market,
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there are strong grounds for suggesting that effectively targeted promotion could attract many more visitors.
Two local voluntary organisations, Alderney Wildlife Trust and the Alderney Society, are highly regarded in their fields. AWT is the only wildlife trust (of 47 in the British Isles) which represents the species and habitats of the Channel Islands, and has pioneered the Living Islands concept which this will report will explore. AWT runs a programme of wildlife‐themed events from the spring to early autumn, including guided walks and boat trips. It has also set up a new Living Islands Live webcam to enable global live viewing of the puffin colony on the neighbouring islet of Burhou. The Alderney Society operates a Gulbenkian Award‐winning museum of island history in St Anne, and has achieved wide praise for its research work on an Elizabethan shipwreck and on documenting Alderney’s heritage of military buildings, amongst many other achievements. It has also helped AWT to restore a WWII German bunker as an impressive interpretation centre that combines wildlife and heritage in one location.
Alderney’s Roman Fort at Longis
There is no lack of local knowledge and expertise, and it is encouraging that a group of energetic islanders, many of whom are retired, is willing to engage with visitors. Equally, there are plenty of opportunities to develop or expand businesses, such as accompanied boat trips and guided walking tours, which can provide employment opportunities for younger people, where there is a growing need. The island’s situation, as the most northerly of the Channel Islands, places Alderney squarely at the mouth of the English Channel, due south of Portland Bill, and gives it a strategic position both historically and naturally, on the major European bird migration fly‐ways and global shipping routes. This shared physical factor underlies both the wildlife and the heritage themes of this report.
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1.3 The national and international marketplace
Tourism ranks as among the highest earners for smaller economies such as islands and less developed countries, and this is certainly true of Alderney. In global terms, Alderney’s primary market of European tourism is holding up well, in spite of the travails of the euro area, and the relative exchange rate disadvantages of those countries which remain outside it. In its most recent 2013 survey, the UN World Travel Organisation states that:
International tourist arrivals in Europe rose by 3% in 2012 on top of a strong 2011 (+6%), a remarkable result in view of the lingering economic difficulties. Accounting for 52% of all international arrivals worldwide, Europe reached 534 million tourist arrivals in 2012, 18 million more than in 2011. International tourism receipts increased by 2% in real terms totalling US$ 458 billion (euro 356 billion), representing 43% of the world total. Western Europe posted a 3% increase in arrivals with the best results for Germany (+7%) and Austria (5%). Arrivals in Northern Europe grew by a modest 1% only. However, receipts are estimated to have increased by 5% in real terms.
UNWTO points out that “The large majority of international travel takes place within traveller's own regions, with about four out of five worldwide arrivals originating from the same region.” It expects the European growth trend to continue well into the future, albeit overshadowed by strong Asia Pacific visitor increases; China now leads the world in outbound tourism. Tourism expenditure is holding up remarkably well:
Although the highest growth rates in expenditure on travel abroad came from emerging economies, key traditional source markets, usually growing at a slower pace, also posted encouraging results. Spending from Germany and the United States grew by 6% and 7% respectively. The UK spent 4% more, Canada 6%, Australia 3% and Japan 2%. France and Italy were the only markets in the top ten decreasing international tourism spending.
Wildlife tourism is one of the fastest growing global sectors, according to UNWTO, and in many areas with plentiful and charismatic species it is no longer a niche. Increasingly, it attracts a generalist, up‐market audience that is inspired by television programmes showing wildlife spectacles, including many films about underwater habitats, a particular Alderney strength. BBC TV output has created a new UK audience, estimated at around 2.5 million people, dominated by middle aged, middle class “empty nesters” who are interested in wildlife. They may well own sophisticated cameras and would like to capture pictures of wildlife, provided they can be shown where to look. These visitors also enjoy a good day out, walking in spectacular landscapes without undue threat or hindrance.
An English Heritage factsheet clearly demonstrates the continuing strong growth, throughout the current economic difficulties, at both English Heritage and National Trust properties, and states that:
History/Built heritage is the strongest product driver [for the UK] in most overseas markets, and is the highest rated attribute when perceiving Britain as a tourist destination. 30% of overseas tourists claim heritage is the main reason for them visiting the UK – stronger than any other single factor. Over 80% of potential tourists would visit historic monuments and buildings in Britain, making it the highest ranked activity.
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Brading [Roman] Villa remains on the Isle of Wight is an example of how heritage tourism can bring income to a local area. It is estimated that approximately half of all visitors come to this area of the Isle of Wight specifically for the attraction, and that each year the attraction is responsible for maintaining 27 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs, in addition to the direct 10 FTE.
There is a continuing fascination in UK, Canadian and US markets with World War Two, and the 1944 D‐Day landings in particular. Alderney is well placed to benefit from the high number of visitors to the invasion beaches, provide that these markets can be made aware of the wide range of relatively undamaged German installations from that period on the island. The Victorian forts with their superb architecture provide valuable additional interest.
1.4 Living Landscapes, Living Seas – and Living Islands Realising that the biodiversity of the British Isles was still in steep decline, despite the presence of thousands of wildlife reserves, and increasingly active statutory protection, the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT), the national co‐ordinating body to which AWT belongs, launched a new Living Landscapes strategy in 2008. The objective is to conserve not only nature reserves, but also much larger areas of managed countryside, with the assistance of landowners and farming interests. These areas can often be linked together by corridors such as hedgerows, woodland and rivers, along which species can travel without human disturbance as local conditions, such as the climate, change.
RSWT’s website sets out some of the key characteristics of Living Landscapes:
People and communities Our Living Landscape work aims to reconnect people with the natural world and promote the benefits it provides ‐ from the technical and functional (food production, clean water), to the spiritual (nature makes people happy!). We work closely with local communities to promote the wildlife on their doorstep. Living Landscape schemes improve access to wildlife and green spaces and provide opportunities for recreation, education and hands‐on volunteering. In fact, our volunteers are often vital to the success of the schemes. Sustainable local economies Many Living Landscape schemes also make sustainable, low carbon contributions to the local economy by providing employment opportunities, promoting locally grown food or marketing conservation grade beef from grazing herds. In a Living Landscape... .....wildlife is abundant and flourishing, both in the countryside and our towns and cities; .....whole landscapes and ecosystems have been restored; .....wildlife is able to move freely through these landscapes and adapt to the effects of climate change; .....communities are benefitting fully from the fundamental services that healthy ecosystems provide; .....everyone has access to wildlife‐rich green spaces and can enjoy and be inspired by the natural world
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Northern gannet colony at Les Etacs
At the same time, there is a recognition that fish and shellfish stocks around the UK have dramatically declined over the past century, driven by huge international demand and the increasingly efficient technology available to fishing fleets. The RSWT Living Seas vision points to a future in which:
Wildlife and habitats are recovering from past decline as our use of the sea’s resources becomes environmentally sustainable.
The natural environment is adapting well to a changing climate, and ocean processes are helping to slow down climate change.
People are inspired by marine wildlife and value the sea for the many ways in which it supports our quality of life.
Among its most important early objectives of Living Seas is the creation of nearly 150 marine protected areas (MPAs) in British waters. The new approach has been successful in achieving a new UK Marine Act 2009, but there is an ongoing campaign to secure the future of over 100 proposed MPAs which have not been included in the UK government’s first list of protected marine sites.
In AWT, and in other island Wildlife Trusts such as the Isles of Scilly, the Isle of Wight and the Isle of Man, managers realised that a third “Living Islands” conservation strategy is probably required, since there are unique opportunities and challenges for wildlife and local communities in these smaller parcels of land bounded by sea. In Alderney, there is a special situation, due to the SoA ownership of the seabed within a three mile limit, and on land, only one small town, one farm and full SoA development control of green belt. To prove the concept, funding has been obtained from RSWT and SoA for a two‐year Living Islands project in Alderney, to demonstrate the value of wildlife and historic heritage to island economies, and to pilot new techniques to conserve and promote these assets as a tourism destination.
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1.5 Nineteenth & twentieth century conflict and its legacy Alderney’s location at the entrance to the English Channel gave it enormous strategic importance in the era of sea power. Defences from the eighteenth and nineteenth century, in the form of sophisticated forts and the massive breakwater, were augmented and modified in the Second World war by occupying German forces with one of the greatest concentrations of defences built anywhere along the Atlantic Wall. These structures, and the stories they can tell, are almost completely unknown to potential visitors. A short distance away, on the Normandy coastline, there is a highly developed and well supported tourism industry based on the story of the “Débarquement”, the 1944 D‐Day landings, and the German defences that proved unable to resist the Allied onslaught.
There is already a body of high quality research available on Alderney, and with some further work a complete picture of the scale and nature of the defences could be provided for each selected site, with a prioritised action list to open up the more accessible and interesting fortifications. With co‐ordinated voluntary and SoA input, many of the historic structures could be made safer, more presentable and understandable by the general visitor. They should be promoted to the UK, European and North American markets, perhaps in association with the French authorities.
1.6 Barriers to overcome The main driver for this research has been a rising concern in the SoA government and the local community over the accelerating decline in both visitor numbers and working age population that the island has experienced over the last ten years. Among the barriers to growth that Alderney will have to surmount are:
the vulnerability and rising costs of transport links, and as a result, the island’s competitiveness against other destinations
increasing living and operating costs (energy, in particular) for both businesses and households
lack of jobs for younger members of the community
depopulation, and in particular, the loss of workers in the key 25‐40 age group
the loss of retail shops and serviced accommodation businesses
External factors have also played a part in the decline of the local tourism sector. These include the low level of awareness of the island in its key tourism markets, loss of significant employers in the online gambling and retail fulfilment sectors, the perceived difficulty and costs of travelling to Alderney, competition with the larger and better‐known Channel Islands, and with other European “beach” destinations that are seen as cheaper or sunnier. These challenges require a new approach concentrated on the island’s strengths, and building a new profile of higher spending visitors to create income and employment.
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Atlantic puffin
1.7 Harnessing the potential of wildlife & heritage tourism in Alderney The current contribution of wildlife and heritage tourism has been assessed by Dr Simon Woodward at the International Centre for Responsible Tourism at Leeds Metropolitan University. Based on street interviews, self‐completion questionnaires in accommodation and other business outlets, and an online survey, over 200 responses were gathered. The findings reveal that the contribution of nature tourism, defined as travellers visiting an area primarily or partly to see wildlife, is approximately £2.6 million per annum, with heritage tourism contributing just under £1.9 million per annum. This is the value of economic activity that can be associated with wildlife and heritage viewing, rather than the net contribution of wildlife or heritage tourism to the island. It must be emphasised that these are not discrete amounts that can be added together: many people in the surveys included wildlife and heritage among their top three reasons for visiting Alderney.
As the wildlife and heritage tourism market develops, it will become ever more important to ensure that the spending associated with this type of visit is captured on the island and then circulates, adding value to the economy. Our research shows that most of the current daily spending is on travel, accommodation and eating out, with many visitors staying over three nights. Aurigny operates as the island‐based airline, and pays landing, fuelling and ground handling fees (a proportion of which benefit the Bailiwick of Guernsey). This means that benefits do accrue to Alderney from each trip, in contrast to mainland UK day visits to a North Sea coastal nature reserve, for example. In the latter case, spending on fuel in Tesco in Leeds may often be the highest outlay of the day, but offers no benefit to deprived communities around the reserve. Most visitors to Alderney choose to stay at least one night, thus benefiting the local accommodation and restaurant businesses in a way that does not necessarily occur in the mainland day trip market.
Better packaging and marketing of the wildlife and heritage sites in Alderney is an urgent requirement. Some will point out that the excellent existing series of walks leaflets, nature reserve guides, the AWT website and the detailed free island map are all that is needed. The Living Islands Live website and social media output point the way forward with better, up‐to‐the‐minute presentation. Mobile apps with GPS positioning enabling downloads of relevant information would add to the mix.
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Fort Raz and the coast of France
By working closely with local commercial boat operators, encouraging wildlife and heritage guiding services run by local people, and advising accommodation providers on their own promotion, the island can be presented in a new, more co‐ordinated way to the market. There is the potential to work with Aurigny to attract specialist tour operators such as Naturetrek, Oriole Birding, and Wildlife Travel who might be interested in developing two centre tours with the Marais du Cotentin reserve close by. Heritage visitors might be attracted to tours run by ACE Cultural Tours (who currently work with English Heritage), Wessex Heritage Tours, or Heritage Holidays, who specialise in military history, for example. There are a number of D‐Day tour specialists in France which might include Alderney’s defences, if they can be attracted by effectively presented sites.
Alderney’s uniqueness lies in the wealth of both historical structures and wildlife that can be viewed at close quarters and without too much regimentation or supervision. The task for the Living Islands Steering Group will be to bring these superb assets to the attention of new audiences, using innovative marketing and partnership working with the whole community.
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2. Introduction
2.1 Purpose of the report This Research & Development Assessment (RDA) has been prepared by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (YWT) in association with the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT) at Leeds Metropolitan University, on behalf of the Living Islands Steering Group. The Group includes representatives of the States of Alderney (SoA), the Alderney Society (AS), and Alderney Wildlife Trust (YWT). Funding for the RDA was provided by the SoA in January 2013, and the work will inform the new marketing campaign being developed for Alderney by the Be a Tiger (BAT) consultancy, as well as the recently launched Living Islands project, financed for two years (up to August 2015) by the SoA and the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT). The latter will develop and commercialise the nature and heritage tourism concept for Alderney in association with partners in the Isles of Scilly, Isle of Wight, Isle of Man and the Scottish and Yorkshire Wildlife Trusts.
The purpose of the report is to review the international status of wildlife and heritage tourism, and provide an overview of the current product offering in Alderney. Using research carried out on the island in the spring of 2013, it will assess the contribution to the local economy made by wildlife and heritage visitors, and it will outline the potential future value of these niches, given appropriate investment in marketing and infrastructure improvements.
2.2 Document structure The report is presented in two main sections: a Situation Analysis in three parts, covering supply side issues such as the current north European market and its characteristics, and best practice in the field, a brief review of Alderney’s economy and its special features and opportunities, and the current status of wildlife and heritage tourism on the island. This is followed by a discussion of the Strategic Intent and sets out an action plan for nature and heritage tourism over the next ten years. Case studies of leading destinations in these areas appear in Section 7, with a bibliography.
Western 10.5 cm casemate, Fort Tourgis
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3. Situation Analysis: Supply side issues
3.1 What is nature & heritage tourism?
Over the past fifty years or more the tourism market has become highly segmented. The initial focus in the 1950s and 60s on summer and winter destinations for beach holidays and skiing, for example, has widened to take in many other kinds of outdoor and cultural activities. Participation in walking and cycling, sailing and other watersports has exploded in the last twenty years. The combination of much cheaper air travel, more paid holiday time (25 to 30 days is now the norm in Europe), and the availability of high quality sports equipment for hire at most destinations, have made activity holidays very popular. The beach and sun holiday in Spain and other Mediterranean countries remains popular, but experience of poor quality and crowded conditions on the Spanish Costas, combined with ever more insistent warnings of the danger of long exposure to strong sun, have led many to seek new and perhaps more stimulating pursuits.
Heritage tourism has been popular and aspirational amongst higher income groups since the 18th and 19th century era of the Grand Tour. Today, it is cited by 30% of overseas tourists as their main reason for visiting Britain, and it is just as important in Italy, France and Spain. The National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States defines heritage tourism as “travelling to experience the places and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past." The UK’s main incoming tourism body states that:
VisitBritain’s research in 35 countries around the world reveals that our core strengths as a visitor destination are our heritage, history, pageantry and culture. Crucially, however, it is our living heritage that most inspires our visitors; the past brought to life, interpreted and explained. People tell us that they especially value our accessible heritage – our museums and galleries, castles and stately homes, our ruins and industrial sites, our palaces and cathedrals – because it is not presented ‘in aspic’ but includes living, breathing, vibrant places that belong as much in the present as in the past
Leading organisations such as the National Trust and English Heritage ensure that the nation’s key sites are conserved and presented in often very innovative ways to a general audience. Alongside these very large bodies (The National Trust has over 4 million members) there are hundreds of local authority services with responsibility for historic heritage, and a much larger number of smaller and often very capable organisations operating at local level. The Alderney Society is a good example, with its excellent museum and a highly educated and well informed core team of volunteers.
After an initially slow start in the late 19th and early 20th century, led by enthusiastic amateurs with limited academic support, interest in wildlife grew after World War Two, with the growth in free time and paid holidays. Much faster growth came in the 1960’s with the arrival of popular television nature programmes presented by David Attenborough, Peter Scott, Johnny Morris and others, aimed at a non‐specialist audience. The trend has continued, with a new focus on live broadcasts from UK nature reserves pioneered by BBC’s Springwatch and Autumnwatch, which regularly achieve audiences of over 2.5 million. New equipment and techniques have produced spectacular footage of commonplace species, and have led to an increased interest in the wildlife of the British Isles. Many of today’s’ high spending wildlife tourists can trace their interest back to those early black and white TV programmes.
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At the same time, conservation organisations such as the Wildlife Trusts, of which there are 47 in the British Isles, with over 800,000 members, and RSPB with over one million, have grown rapidly. The National Trust has also grasped the opportunity and now owns huge lengths of the UK coast and large areas of landscape in the Lake District and the West Country. It covers both heritage and wildlife, owning one of Britain’s best seabird colonies on the Farne Islands of Northumberland.
Nature tourism can be defined as travel to a location, usually involving at least one overnight stay, to view and enjoy wildlife in its natural setting, without disturbance, and with the long term aim of conserving the landscape and its biodiversity for future generations. In many destinations, it is being developed as a way of bringing income to often deprived communities, which can derive economic benefit from the presence of wildlife assets close at hand. External assistance and advice can reveal this hidden value, which may well be seen locally as commonplace. “I see otters every day – what makes them so special?” is a comment regularly heard in East Yorkshire, for example. Nature tourism also offers an opportunity to promote sustainable development. A 1997 World Bank study clearly summarises the advantages and the risks of this approach:
Nature tourism is particularly important in the context of sustainable development because it offers the potential of mobilizing resources through the private sector which can contribute to local and national economic development while providing an incentive for conservation land uses and helping to finance biodiversity conservation. But analysts have argued that there is a significant gap between nature tourism's actual and potential contribution to sustainable development. While nature tourism only accounts for a small fraction of the overall global tourist industry, it is reported to be one of the fastest‐growing markets. Nature tourism's continued expansion offers opportunities to generate increased income and employment, both nationally and in remote rural areas, and to provide increased incentives for biodiversity conservation in state protected areas and on private lands. These must be course balanced with the risks of continued environmental degradation and greater pressure on protected areas, many of which lack the resources for effective management and are unprepared for significant growth in visitor numbers.
There are more subtle angles to the promotion of both wildlife and heritage as reasons for travelling to a destination. The concept of eco‐tourism is often misused, but in the context of the Alderney economy, it may well be relevant. Section 4.5 explores this opportunity in more detail.
3.2 Nature tourism visitors and their interests The UK market for nature tourism has not yet been accurately measured, but there is strong evidence that over 4% of all holiday trips include some element of wildlife viewing. Clearly, in areas where wildlife is more abundant or charismatic (eagles, otters, deer, etc.) this proportion will rise. For example, the value of wildlife visits to the Scottish economy has been estimated at £127 million annually, and in eastern Yorkshire at around £10 million. Over 1.1 million visits are made to Scotland each year where the motivation is to see wildlife, of which 44% are international visitors. The value of certain species has also been quantified. RSPB estimate that in 2010 the value of sea eagles to the island of Mull was over £5m, while the bottlenose dolphins in the Moray Firth were generating £4m.
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Northern gannet
Natural England’s Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment (MENE), a rolling annual survey, collects data on how people interact with natural habitats, such as wildlife viewing or volunteering on nature reserves. It records destinations, duration of visits, mode of transport, distance travelled, daily expenditure, main activities and motivations, and importantly, barriers to visiting. The most recent results, for year four of the survey (March 2012 ‐ February 2013) reveal:
Between March 2012 and February 2013, an average of 41 per cent of the English
adult population visited the natural environment during the previous seven days. The proportion visiting the outdoors in the last seven days has remained at around two‐fifths of the population since 2009/10
It is estimated that the average annual number of visits taken per adult during March 2012 to February 2013 was 67. This was significantly higher than the average of 60 recorded in 2010/11 but significantly lower than the 2009/10 average of 69.
The English adult population participated in an estimated 2.85 billion visits to the natural environment between March 2012 and February 2013. While this estimate is higher than the estimated 2.49 billion visits taken in 2010/11 it is not significantly different to the volumes recorded in the other survey years.
Overall levels of participation in visits over the previous seven days were significantly higher amongst people aged 25 to 64, those in employment, those living in rural areas and those in the AB socio‐economic group.
As a person gets older they are more likely to take visits for health or exercise, for fresh air or pleasant weather, to enjoy scenery, and to enjoy wildlife.
Between 2011/12 and 2012/13 the proportions of visits taken where the motivation was for health or exercise significantly increased from 37 per cent to 44 per cent.
In terms of pro‐environmental behaviours, 78 per cent of the population said that they usually recycled items rather than throwing them away, while 43 per cent chose to walk or cycle instead of using a car. Furthermore, 39 per cent of people stated that they usually bought seasonal or locally grown food.
The findings confirm observations of wildlife visitors in the field: these are higher spending groups with the propensity to travel to see, and often to photograph, wildlife in its natural setting. They have a significantly different socio‐economic profile from visitors to zoos and semi‐capture locations such as wildlife parks. Nevertheless, some 75 million visits were made to the UK coast and
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countryside for wildlife viewing, over five times more visits than were made to see Premier league football games. Only 3% of the countryside trips were made primarily for wildlife watching, but this activity does take place on 12% of the visits. It is one of the most popular outdoor activities, but ranks well behind walking with or without a dog, playing with children, running, or visiting an attraction. It is more popular than cycling, visiting a beach, or fishing, however. Those aged 45 and over were more likely than other age groups to take visits that involved walking, particularly with a dog.
There is a clear distinction between the committed birdwatcher, or “twitcher” who will travel hundreds of miles on receipt of a text message informing him (and it is usually a male) of the arrival of a rare vagrant on a remote coast, as compared to the casually interested nature lover, who may carry binoculars and some identification guides in the car on weekend trips to the countryside. The latter group will value local knowledge about when and where to see the more exciting species, and pay for a guided walk perhaps, whilst the twitcher will usually know a great deal about local species, and if charismatic species are present, he will find puffins, ospreys, red kites and kingfishers of relatively little interest. A third group of visitors with a passing interest will take the opportunity of a boat trip when staying near the coast to see seals or gannets, provided the tour is well publicised and easy to access.
In research for the Scottish Government, ICTHR finds that:
...While wildlife visitors (overnight tourists and day visitors) are spread among all age groups, there is a peak in the 45‐54 years category for overnight tourists, but that all older age groups from 45years up are present in numbers for day visitors. The 16‐24 and 25‐34 years categories are only lightly represented in both types of wildlife visitor.
The business guide, Wildlife Tourism in Scotland, identifies two key groups with the highest propensity to visit, and tips for destination marketing. It also suggests that “Wildlife tourism may not be the primary reason why these market segments visit Scotland, but there is an above average opportunity to attract them to a wildlife experience during their visit if they are given the right information and encouragement”:
UK market segment Accommodation preferences
Other activities they will enjoy
Tips for reaching them
Affluent Southern Explorers (W1) 45‐60 yrs old Well‐off, professional
Independent B&Bs/ authentic hotels; Off the beaten track; Unusual places; Self‐catering
Mixing with locals; Outdoor activities; Local events and festivals; Walking/nature; Golf; Culture
Use e‐marketing to promote special offers and events; Provide information and guides to nearby walks and vantage points; Promote your business at local events and festivals; Collaborate with your local golf course on a special offer
Younger Domestic Explorers (W2) Average age 42 1/3 of households have children Above average income
Good value self‐catering; B&Bs; Hotels
Sightseeing and exploring; Castles, culture and events; Festivals and music; Active sports and family attractions
Ensure you have a dynamic website that is easy to navigate Optimise your business listing on search engines Collaborate with local events and
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festivals to offer promotions Provide information about nearby historical sites and family attractions
In its 2011 report, RSPB reserves and local economies, the organisation sets out the “ecosystem services” provided by the conservation of nature on its reserves. These include the pollination of crops by insects, which are able to thrive in a pesticide‐free environment and spread out into the adjacent farming landscape, well‐being benefits for those able to visit their reserves, and the maintenance of biodiversity in increasingly challenging circumstances. The report also draws attention to the growth and importance of nature tourism:
Nature‐based tourism in particular is critically linked to conservation activities, and plays a significant role within economies across the UK. Spending by visitors on trips to nature reserves and green spaces is worth billions of pounds to local and national economies each year. This type of economic stimulus can be of particular benefit to those areas (e.g. rural or coastal) with an often otherwise narrow scope for employment opportunities. Nature tourism is also going from strength to strength in the UK, with increases in visits to RSPB reserves and the natural environment far out‐performing current trends in general tourism.
The report is able to demonstrate that RSPB’s reserves were responsible for £66 million of spending in their surrounding communities in 2009. Using accepted models this is equivalent to 1,872 FTE in local jobs. The latter effect increased by 87% in the period 2000‐2007, whilst the impact on local expenditure was up by 235% over the same period. The report states that:
Nature tourism is a growth sector. Leisure and tourism visits related to the natural environment increased by 10% between 2005 and 2009, despite general tourism in the UK declining by 9.2% over this period. This increasing trend was mirrored by visits to RSPB reserves, which increased by 38% between these years.
UK nature tourism therefore continued to grow as recession hit, and Natural England’s MENE survey shows a 10% increase in visits over a similar timeframe. The market for nature tourism in northern Europe is equally attractive. Germany, Belgium, Holland and Denmark are already sending small but significant numbers of visitors to Yorkshire via the ferry service into Hull. Seabirds are of particular interest as the UK hosts significant and very accessible colonies of these spectacular species. Better air or ferry links to Normandy would greatly assist the development of this market, and would open up the potential for two‐centre tours combining the magnificent wetlands of the Marais du Cotentin and the seabird colonies off Alderney.
The conclusion from the above studies is that nature tourism is robust and growing, even during a significant recession. Its contribution to the local economy though indirect spending in accommodation and other services is important and increasingly recognised in local communities. It is also important to recognise the positive impact of charismatic species. Alderney has a representative selection of these, which will be discussed in section 4.1.
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3.3 The characteristics of heritage tourists Heritage tourism has a long history, dating back to the Romantic era “Grand Tour” undertaken by the scions of wealthy families, visiting classical sites in Italy and Greece. With a huge variety of attractive locations to visit in the British Isles, not to mention Europe, heritage is still a much bigger sector than wildlife tourism. The audience for both niches overlaps to some extent, and their market profiles are broadly similar. Many people will visit historic sites in often remote places, and will enjoy not only the buildings and their surroundings, but also the glimpse of a peregrine falcon stooping on a pigeon above the battlements.
Alderney’s historic heritage is overwhelmingly military, and largely from the Victorian era and the German occupation. English Heritage demonstrates the importance of this UK tourism niche in its 2010 factsheet:
Over 80% of potential tourists would visit historic monuments and buildings in Britain, making it the highest ranked activity.
In 2006 a third of overseas visitors took part in sightseeing famous buildings and monuments; only shopping was a more popular activity
In their earlier 2009 study, Survey of Visits to Visitor Attractions, English Heritage researched rural, coastal and urban sites, including 83 castles and forts, with a total of over 44 million visitors in 2008. Overall, 17% of visitors to all England’s heritage sites were from overseas, and 10% of the visitors to castles and forts were from overseas.
Defences at Roselle Point and the Victorian breakwater
This type of basic visit data conceals the true value of the heritage visitor, and in attempt to extract these direct and indirect benefits, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) commissioned Oxford Economics in 2009 to “develop an indication of the scale of the gross economic impact of heritage tourism in the UK in terms of visit numbers, visit spend, employment and GDP. This will allow for a degree of accuracy that is sufficient to enable comparisons to be drawn with other sectors of the UK economy.” Their findings were surprising, placing the overall impact of heritage tourism at £4.3bn, and thus on a comparable scale to the entire motor manufacturing industry (£5.5bn). Once the
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indirect and induced effects are included (such as spending on accommodation and subsequent spending of these proceeds by the recipients on other goods and services) the total economic impact of heritage tourism annually is over £11.9bn, accounting for 270,000 jobs. This excludes “green spaces tourism” such as landscape and parks, which nearly doubles the total economic benefit.
Very encouragingly, in an Alderney context, the findings point to the potential for growth in heritage tourism. This makes it even more important to safeguard the historic assets on the island and present them to a growing market:
Deloitte Consulting and Oxford Economics have estimated that the tourism economy will grow by 2.6% a year between 2009 and 2018 – much higher than the 0.8% forecast for manufacturing, and similar to the growth rate of the retailing and construction sectors. In employment terms, these growth figures are even more significant, since the labour intensity of the tourism sector means that more jobs are created per per cent of sector growth than in other industries. Furthermore, according to Deloitte Consulting, growth would be higher if the staycation effect can be maintained.
The historic heritage of a community is an important part of its identity, and helps to differentiate it from other locations. For example, Alderney’s experience in the Second World War was unique in the British Isles, and in occupied Europe. Nowhere else did such a de‐population occur, and nowhere else in Britain did a German concentration camp appear. The Alderney Society is one of thousands of similar voluntary bodies taking responsibility for their local historic heritage, as noted by the Valuing our Heritage report in 2008:
The historic environment is a focus for public commitment and active civic engagement. Today’s heritage movement has its roots in community activism with local groups speaking up for what they care about.
England has around 400,000 volunteers looking after and explaining our heritage. This is probably the biggest heritage voluntary sector in Europe and they are vital to maintaining our historic environment.
There are 850 registered civic societies, representing 250,000 people. There are more than 260 Building Preservation Trusts which operate as community entrepreneurs
saving buildings and bringing them back into use. Thousands of historic places of worship are opened and maintained by volunteers every day of the
year. The need for better air and sea transport links to the UK, the other Channel Islands and Normandy is again clear when considering the heritage visitor. There are a number of specialist tour operators offering the Normandy beaches in their programmes, and some of these might be persuaded to include Alderney’s extensive and relatively well‐preserved German defences. A facility visit for a group of leading operators might assist the steering group to plan the likely investment in effort required to restore and present the key sites to visitors.
Finally, it is very clear that most visitors do not have a single‐minded approach to their activities whilst on holiday, and that those who may have a special interest in history may also enjoy seeing wildlife, and vice versa. The point is made very clearly in the Wildlife Guide to Scotland produced for Visit Scotland and other partners in 2012:
[Visitors] may want to enjoy a walk or visit a castle, but it’s important to make them aware that they can enjoy wildlife as part of that experience. They can take an organised nature walk or you could advise them of the species to look out for during their castle visit. Viewing wildlife is a fantastic added
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experience that can make their visit truly unique and memorable and potentially encourage repeat visits. Businesses should remember that what might be a common species to you (e.g. seals in the harbour or blue tits on a feeder) might be considered ‘exotic’ to visitors, so never underestimate the excitement people can get from seeing wild animals.
3.4 Seasonality The recent run of very poor summers in northern Europe has emphasised the difficulties inherent in marketing “sun, sea and sand” to local markets. The great advantage of niches such as short‐break wildlife, heritage and walking holidays is their attractiveness outside the main holiday season. Alderney’s seabirds are appearing in numbers in March and April, and the weather in the island is frequently more spring‐like in these months than it is in the UK or European mainland. These spectacular colonies remain until the start of the main summer holiday season. Similarly, large numbers of birds on migration are visible from August through to late October.
In their study for the Scottish Government, ICTHR identified two main periods of interest for wildlife tourism, the peak months of May and June which account for half of all wildlife visits to Scotland, and a second period in July and August that is particularly highlighted by wildlife tour businesses. “reinforcing views from operators in interviews that tourists who are not primarily motivated by wildlife make up a large proportion of their customers during these months that are the peak season for tourism in Scotland.”
This finding reflects the stratification of the wildlife tourism market into Serious , Casual and Passing Interest types. Tours of heritage sites are equally attractive in the early and late season, given good weather conditions. The D‐Day anniversary of 6th June falls conveniently outside the main summer school holiday period, and therefore could be a useful theme around which to build a new UK/US biased market for Alderney’s World War Two heritage.
3.5 Best practice in wildlife tourism Wildlife tourism has become a global phenomenon. Destinations in Africa, Central & South America and New Zealand compete in the UK market with short haul tours in Eastern Europe, Spain, France and Scotland. The best examples of this form of tourism exhibit a set of characteristics:
Charismatic species, present at predictable times in accessible daytime locations, and relatively tolerant of, or unaffected by, human intrusion.
Infrastructure of several differing viewing sites with good access, well maintained paths, hides and towers (where appropriate), managed habitats, clear interpretation and signposting.
A range of local accommodation (with good up‐market provision) and reliable transport services (minibuses, boats, and aircraft).
Well informed wildlife guiding services based on expert local knowledge.
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Ownership and control under well‐resourced private trusts or conservation charities or public sector bodies.
Synergy with the economic and tourism development aspirations of the region, such that wildlife provides a seamless element of the local tourism product.
In their excellent guide, Wildlife Tourism in Scotland, for smaller tourism businesses active in or thinking of entering the market, Tourism Intelligence Scotland makes the following suggestions about how to increase income for small businesses working in the sector:
Watch programmes like Springwatch to see which species are media favourites. For example, public interest in Mull’s sea eagles soared after they were featured in 2005. The programme’s inclusion of Knapdale’s beavers in 2011 is generating interest in the area.
With more people staycationing every year, think about marketing to people in your local area or regionally. What activities could you offer that would make them want to stay close to home?
Sell Scottish wildlife holidays as a source of memories and experiences, rather than just wildlife‐studying trips.
Look at Scotland’s most popular species and consider which of those animals are present in your area and then highlight opportunities to see these species. You can link to good sites or operators, or feature photography on your own site or social media.
Visitors are knowledgeable and well‐travelled. As in other tourism sectors they expect good value at every price level, and the opportunity to sample the best of the local food and drink – give them guidance to help them find what they are looking for.
These points offer useful tips for Alderney’s hospitality sector, and demonstrate how the island’s very strong voluntary organisations, like AWT and the Alderney Society, could play an important part in the growth of tourism.
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3.6 PESTLE analysis Political States of Alderney powers in key planning and economic spheres
Lack of SoA control over key transport and infrastructure areas Pressure for subsidies for transport operators Loss of Alderney’s retail fulfilment business following UK legislation High public profile of green issues starting to translate into political
action, e.g. UK climate change act, EU targets, influencing attitudes SoA ownership and control of seabed French government interest in Alderney’s tidal potential and the
FABlink Potential for working with other Channel Islands and French
authorities on shared initiatives Loss of Alderney’s working age population Falling house prices and lack of activity in the market Second home, summer occupancy households leading to range of
problems for retailers, transport operators, hospitality sector Climate change mitigation and adaptation remains high on the
political agenda UK Marine Act and French Marine Protected Area initiatives in the
Channel and Bay of Mont St Michel
Economic Planning gain – potential arising from renewable energy developments
Potential lower, renewable, electricity costs over medium term Varying agricultural commodity prices Shift in consumer buying towards environmental and ethical buying –
fair‐trade and organic in particular Global cost of oil impacting on cost of fuel and desire for alternatives,
e.g. biofuels, nuclear and renewables. Increased application of green taxation e.g. on fuels, to support
renewables Improved recycling habits, but more needs to be done Lower cost of housing and transaction levels driving reduced Conge
receipts and affecting related sectors (construction, property agency) Perceived fall in the standard of living and quality of life Rise in the population of comfortably off households and the
opportunity to attract them to a low tax environment Risk posed by single large income generator on the island – need for
diversification
Social Obesity crisis and links to preventative health issues – need for space and new ideas for exercise
BBC TV output – demonstrating and creating an interest in British wildlife & heritage
Reduced freedom to roam and other fears for children in the UK – contrast with Alderney
House building and conversions at historically low levels, with effects on employment
Increasing ‘lifestyle’ interest in green/healthy living
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Increasing perception of unsustainable consumption, e.g. air travel Campaign for Real World (outdoor in particular). Learning gradually
impacting on schools: opportunity for Living Islands Live Increased perception of crime in the UK A healthier retired population – taking more activity holidays Continuing commitment to corporate social responsibility in larger
companies, in relation to environmental issues
Technology Ever improving electronic communications – web, smartphone, e‐mail and accelerating integration of all e‐communications (TV, video, web, smartphone etc.)
Alderney’s relatively good internet speeds Opportunity for more offshore businesses to be established Effect of online shopping on local retail businesses, including food
sector Improving environmental technologies – from cars and energy
efficient light‐bulbs, to improving and cheaper wind and solar energy systems, and in the longer term, tidal power becoming more competitive
Increasing requirement for renewable energy technologies to mitigate for climate change
New media opportunities – webcams, smartphones, social media Improving knowledge base relating to nature conservation Relative decrease in cost of high quality optics and cameras: many
visitors now use sophisticated systems to capture wildlife imagery
Legal Environmental legislation – especially EU driven: Habitats Directive, Water Framework Directive
Land issues – waste processing site is an eyesore on coastal path UK Regulation beginning to address environmental problems (e.g.
congestion charging, higher fines associated with wildlife crime, European Directives; environmental impact assessments etc.
Potential influence of UK/EU trends in Alderney, e.g.: - Planning changes may allow more encroachment on the UK green
belt - UK Data Protection Act - UK Freedom of Information Act - UK Marine Act 2009 - Litigation society – especially rise of ‘no win‐no fee’ solicitors - Improving legislation – H&S, child welfare, employment, disability,
age etc.
Environmental Local food markets – widespread local sales of Alderney dairy products, and opportunity for more local produce
Climate change affecting land use and the need for more “wildlife‐permeable” landscapes
Relative sea‐level rise increasing due to climate change (thermal expansion and melting ice caps)
Overfishing and more interest in conservation/sustainability of stocks Development pressure, especially on green belt
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Changing land use as agriculture changes Livestock disease – blue tongue and foot & mouth Population trends: UK growth, Alderney in decline Use of fresh water as a resource for industry, not just drinking water Nitrogen deposition – eutrophication of water courses and reservoirs
– resulting from increasing car use and fertiliser use. Visual impact of Impot site
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4. Situation Analysis: Review of Alderney’s economy
4.1 Alderney’s economy and its growth potential Alderney’s experience of the global economic downturn since 2008 has been difficult, and the SoA has commissioned studies of the island economy which reveal the range of effects and challenges that the island is now facing. These problems had perhaps been hidden by the island’s long term popularity within the UK and Channel Islands tourism markets, but were brought into sharper focus with the onset of global recession, the rise of the “staycation” phenomenon in the UK, and severe price competition from destinations served by low cost air travel.
The findings of the 2013 Alderney Census highlight the problems that the economy faces:
Alderney's population stood at 1,903 as at the end of April 2013. This level is 17% lower than on the same day in 2001.
The island's population trends are historically very dynamic indeed in terms of emigration and immigration. This continues to be the case.
There has been a 170 (50%) fall in the number of children aged under 15 in the Island over the twelve year period 2001 to 2013.
Since 2001, there has also been a significant fall of 232 in the number of young working‐age persons aged between 20 to 39 years of age living on the island. This is a 47% drop over the period.
Over the 12 year period, there has been a 31% increase in the number of people aged between 60 and 69. This is now the largest age group representing 21% of the overall population (11% in Guernsey and 10% in Jersey). In 2001, the largest age group in Alderney was 50 to 59.
In number terms, 50% of the Island's population is now aged 55 or over with an average age for the population as a whole of 51 years.
The number of employed or self‐employed persons in the Island has fallen by 207 since 2001. This drop has occurred totally in the employed rather than the self‐employed sector.
Lack of employment opportunities is the major contributing factor in the contraction of Alderney's population.
Migration continues to be a major feature of the Island's population. However, with no restrictions on living in the island with a low taxation structure, the island continues to attract households primarily from the UK who are at the point of or already in retirement.
Skills levels remain relatively high across all age spectrums but, as the population is heavily skewed to the over 50s, many of those who are well qualified are near to or are in retirement.
SoA commissioned Island Analysis (IA) in 2011 to investigate a new economic strategy in consultation with local businesses and the community, and among other recommended initiatives such as better liaison on policy and strategy with the other Channel Islands, and securing the vital air links, the report highlights the importance of “Developing a long term tourism strategy which may well need public private partnership initiatives to be considered in terms of funding and implementation.” It goes on to note the contraction of the island’s tourism sector, and cites issues including costs and frequency of transport links, quality and range of accommodation and hospitality businesses. The key strengths of its beaches, natural beauty, peace and quiet, history and heritage all featured strongly in visitor research conducted by IA. Overall visitors rated their holiday experience very highly, and 80% said they would recommend it to friends.
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The SoA has published a comprehensive roadmap document, Future Economic Planning for the Island of Alderney. This includes the formation of an Economic Steering Group and a Tourism Action Plan that emphasises the significance of tourism to the economy and the hospitality sector in particular, and points to the importance of the voluntary sector in supporting the programme of annual events such as Alderney Week (and the new Arts Festival), and other activities such as angling, flying, golf, and hill climbs. These help to raise the profile of the island and extend the season outside the six week summer period, and are thus deserving of SoA support. Wildlife and heritage events already fit within this category of largely voluntary events and there is scope for doing much more, given support from the community.
Alongside the shrinkage in traditional industries such as fishing and farming, the decline of Alderney’s manufacturing and extractive industry has been marked. The loss of one third of hotel bedspaces, cancellation of regular air links to Jersey, Bournemouth and Shoreham, and reduced services to other destinations have been additional challenges faced by the economy. The frequency of vital sea borne freight services has recently been reduced to one sailing per week.
Given that tourism is such an important part of the economy, the SoA Roadmap set out 36 recommendations, of which many are now being addressed by the recently established Alderney Enterprise Group (AEG). The following are relevant for this report, with progress in brackets:
3. Recommendation: The Economic Advisory Group should be tasked with adequate resources to deliver economic action plans in specific areas to improve the long term sustainability of the Alderney economy. [Superseded by the new AEG] 11. Recommendation: Develop Alderney’s complementary tourism product using the island’s existing resource of clubs and societies. 12. Recommendation: Develop a partnership with a relevant educational institute and/or government and/or private sector body to identify critical deficiencies in the makeup of the Alderney economy.[Considered but rejected] 13. Recommendation: Form a local body for business development to help in the creation of new businesses to fill the gaps identified as critical deficiencies in the local economy [SoA has established. the AEG]
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14. Recommendation: Create a forum for the development of new business ideas to help diversify the local economy. [AEG] 18. Recommendation: Develop a new tourism strategy based upon on events led tourism. [Under way with BaT] 19. Recommendation: Promote the formation of an Alderney facing travel bureau and events Promotion Company through a public private partnership. [Considered but rejected] 20. Recommendation: Investigate increasing the scope of pan Channel Island marketing. 22. Recommendation: Consider the options relating to the freezing or reversal of rate increases in the tourist accommodation sector. [Due to be considered by SoA] 30. Recommendation: Investigate the funding of energy saving projects to reduce the future growth of on‐island demand while diversifying and stimulating the local construction sector. [AEG] 31. Recommendation: Create links with “sustainable community” bodies such as the Transitions Network to develop an energy descent action plan. [AEG] 32. Recommendation: Continue with developing private / public partnerships with local business bodies in order to develop new economic product. [AEG]
These proposals, if successfully implemented, could set Alderney on a new course based on economic growth, and the recovery of the tourism sector. They emphasise that the solutions adopted should form part of a cohesive strategy based on the conservation of the natural and historical assets that the existing market already values very highly, and the initiation of measures to reduce energy consumption and create a sustainable economy. Collaboration with the larger Channel Islands and with the neighbouring La Manche departement and Basse‐Normandie region in France could be vital steps in the process.
4.2 Visitor patterns & transport links Alderney’s current profile of visitors was surveyed in the March‐May 2013 period, just before the main holiday season and the arrival of the main group of second‐home owners, whose motivations tend to be slightly different and therefore less relevant to this study of tourism’s economic potential. Visitor data collated by the SoA marketing & tourism department show evidence of a marked 20% fall in Aurigny air passenger arrival & departure numbers, the main mode of island visitor access, from 79,754 in 2007 to 63,694 in 2012, the last full year.
In the online research (113 respondents), 55% of visitors travelled with family, and 18% with friends. Just over 7% had travelled with an organised group. 88% were on holiday, and the biggest proportion of the sample (25%) was staying three nights, and a further 34% were staying between four and seven nights. For 28% of the sample, this was their first visit, but nearly 52% had visited five or more times, showing a high degree of loyalty. Levels of satisfaction were high, with 72% extremely and 21% moderately satisfied.
Air travel unsurprisingly featured strongly with 55% of visitors surveyed arriving from the UK and 33% from other Channel Islands by air. 12% travelled by private aircraft. Sea routes featured in only
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5% of journeys from the UK, and fewer than 3% from France. The latter would have been affected by weather conditions and the winter/spring timing of the survey. The UK south east accounted for 13% of visitors, and 8% travelled from south west England. Surprisingly, London accounted for fewer arrivals (2.6%) than did East Anglia (3.9%).
4.3 ‘Plugging the Leaks’: the role of a Living Island Alderney is a small island and therefore has a small and vulnerable economy. Analyses have shown that Alderney’s economy is dominated by tourism, retail, financial and legal services. However, it should also be noted that with over a quarter of the population over 65 years of age, significant money flows into the island from pensions that were originally generated elsewhere – a net inflow of money that is characteristic only of places that are attractive to retirees.
In some ways, an island economy is similar to economically vulnerable neighbourhoods that have been dependent on relatively non‐diverse income flows (e.g. former coal mining villages). The New Economics Foundation, in attempting to understand the economics of these communities, concludes that:
It is not necessarily about too little money flowing into a neighbourhood. Rather, it is what consumers, public services and businesses do with that money. Too often it is spent on services that have little local presence, and so immediately leave the area.
This is even more apparent on an island economy which is unable to develop an internal manufacturing base, thus ensuring that much money has to be spent on imported goods – the money ‘leaks’ out of the economy. Where money is spent on goods and services that are generated on the island, money circulates causing a multiplier effect. For example, a tourist comes to the island and spends £60 on a B&B. Breakfast is sourced from the local farm (say £5) which is then spent by the farmer at the local pub (£3.00) on a pint of beer brewed in the local brewery (£1.50) made from barley bought from the local farmer (10p). As a result of the local sourcing of breakfast alone, the £60 has circulated and multiplied to £69.60. However, if half of the money spent is taken off island as profit to an absentee landlord (living in say London), the multiplier effect is negative and reduces to £39.60.
New Economics Foundation argues that to increase the multiplier effect, neighbourhoods should seek to ‘plug the leaks’. The Living Islands concept seeks to increase the inflow of money through increased nature and heritage tourism (fundamentally by increasing overnight stays by tourists and all the multiplier benefits of that for food, shops, restaurants etc.). More powerfully and significantly, in seeking to align the Alderney economy to the Living Islands concept, it can also increase the circulation of money through the economy.
The single farm on Alderney provides a simple example of how this could work:
Part of the appeal of Alderney to nature tourists is the amount of accessible open space where wildlife is easy to view. The coast is already very accessible and wildlife is abundant and readily visible. Likewise, the farmed area is also accessible, but less obviously so, and wildlife is not so apparently abundant. Yet this landscape is the backbone of the island, and one of the most distinctive and attractive to visitors who walk or cycle around the island.
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So, part of improving the wildlife offer to visitors might be to make the farmed area more obviously accessible and, without compromising the farm’s productivity, improve the wildlife of the farmed area, perhaps using the existing agricultural subsidy tied to the Dairy Farm Management Contract (DFMC). This already commits the Farm to specified stocking levels, land management protocols and farm waste management planning. However it could also be directed towards specific management of fertiliser use, development of more sustainable farm and business practices, including the reduction of imported plastics, and alternative methods of managing milk sales such as the use of low impact vending machines. Also for consideration could be the development of wildflower margins to the silage fields, scrub and tree planting, slightly altering harvest times to allow flowers to seed and birds to complete nesting, joint working with AWT on managing old farmland which has fallen out of use, adding in nesting boxes, and even in places, specific crops for birds (with viewing facilities).
Working through the Living Islands project, the relationship between the Farm and the project could allow for the development of joint management projects to promote wildlife diversity and access to historic sites on the Grande and Petite Blayes. Kiln Farm is keen to exploit more land on the western heights of Giffoine and this could be used to test the concept of co‐operative management efforts. This idea is not new – AWT already uses barren animals from the Kiln Farm herd to graze the nature reserves on the island.
In turn, tourism businesses and shops could then source food directly from the Alderney Farm promoting that food as ‘wildlife‐friendly’ (eating the view), reinforcing the wildlife offer through the food that is eaten. This already happens to some extent, and whilst many businesses already take a pride in the sourcing of produce locally from Kiln Farm Dairy and the excellent new Alderney Farm Shop, there is still clear evidence that many businesses do not currently understand the value that Alderney's own island produce, either farmed or caught at sea, could have for them. A campaign run through Living Islands aimed at local hospitality businesses could help demonstrate the local value of Alderney‐sourced produce and promote the involvement of those businesses, including perhaps a “Produced in Alderney” certification stamp, an idea already being discussed by the SoA.
A joint venture which helped to increase farm revenues, allowing greater investment and increased productivity, will have the obvious knock‐on benefit of ensuring that more of the tourist pound is circulated into the local economy. In turn, this might encourage other producers, such as fishermen already selling local fish through the farm shop and fishmonger, to sell direct into the Alderney tourist market, as well as encourage new producers to enter the market (perhaps a brewery or boxed meals producers).
Income to the farm will be mainly spent on wages for those working on the farm (and normally living in Alderney), thus circulating again in local shops.
New Economics Foundation offers a 7‐point framework which can be used to link into the Living Islands concept to substantially increase the multiplier effect:
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Diverse range of businesses We envisage a wide range of businesses developing on the back of increased tourism levels – cycle hire, wildlife & heritage guides, local food producers, retailers, accommodation providers, small‐scale manufacturing.
High local multiplier With SoA driving the concept forward, using small scale subsidy to address market failures (e.g. land subsidy) and encouraging local consumption, a high multiplier effect can be achieved.
Strong local asset base Based upon the strong natural and heritage assets of the Alderney islands.
Responsive public and business sector
A responsive public sector as the concept is driven by SoA who are able to ‘flex’ existing services toward nature tourism activities (e.g. using its existing estates service to improve heritage assets and access to those assets) and a responsive business sector given high interest in the concept.
Strong community and civic voice
By ensuring that the Alderney Wildlife Trust and the Alderney Society are central to delivery, and bringing their voluntary resources to bear.
Reduced environmental footprint
By using the programme to drive genuine sustainable development and localising economic development as far as possible.
Increased understanding of economic, cultural and ecological inter‐connections that link communities
By working with the wider Wildlife Trusts partnership, building links with the UK mainland, UK islands, the Channel Islands and the French mainland as an integral part of the programme.
4.4 Renewable energy and the French connection The position of Alderney at the centre of a high energy matrix of tidal streams at the mouth of the English Channel could be the key to its long term sustainability as an island community, outside both the UK and EU. Energy costs are extremely high at over 35p per kWh, due to the current reliance on diesel generators, and the lack of a natural gas supply. These costs feed directly through to the relatively high tariffs offered by the accommodation sector, where one of the main costs has traditionally been electricity for heating and hot water.
Local interest expertise in the potential of tidal power has been growing over the past few years. Alderney Renewable Energy (ARE) has been carrying out feasibility studies to mount sets of tidal turbines on the seabed around Alderney, capable of generating three gigawatts, a massive surplus to the island’s requirements. The ARE website states that:
...Unlike other technologies in the renewable sector, tidal energy is a completely reliable and predictable source of energy given that tides can be predicted in advance. It is also a highly efficient form of energy generation; compared with coal and oil at 30%, tidal power efficiency is rated at approximately 80%....
Generation could begin in 2014, with full scale deployment of a 300 Megawatt project reaching completion within the following 5 years. When fully developed, the potential annual energy output will be 6 Terawatt hours, which equates to the annual demand of 1.8 million homes.”
Recent updates indicate that tidal power could well take up to 20 years to bring on stream, however.
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Computer Generated Image of Installed 2.2 MW 16m Turbine. Picture ARE
Alderney’s renewable energy potential has attracted the interest of both the UK government and companies and local authorities in France. Joint development could in time yield useful benefits in the form of the FABlink connection to the French and UK electricity grids, securing long term lower cost power, and potentially much improved sea and air links to Cherbourg and Diélette for the staff required to develop and maintain the installations. The ARE website announced in April 2012 that:
In partnership with French industrial group DCNS, ARE plans to create one of the most significant tidal farms in Europe. ARE is also developing an electricity interconnector between France, Alderney and the UK with partner Transmission Capital and French grid operator RTE. This interconnector, known as the FABLink, will enable the export of up to 4 gigawatts of tidal power from Alderney’s waters and a power trading link between the UK and France. Both projects have the support of the governments of Alderney, the UK and France.
With a strong foundation of renewable energy, tidal power gives Alderney a potential USP as a centre for testing other sustainable approaches to agriculture, island transport, waste treatment, and tourism.
4.5 The Green Island concept One of the many interesting suggestions put forward at workshops launching this RDA project is the idea of promoting Alderney as the Green Island, a concept that is very much in line with the Living Islands strategy outlined in section 1.4 above. The ecotourism market is growing globally in the same way as the nature tourism sector, and has a great deal of synergy with it. A new business guide issued by Failte Ireland, the national tourism development body, states that:
Ecotourism is a sector which is steadily gaining significant credibility within the tourism industry in Ireland. The core ethos and principles of the ecotourism sector are also beginning to permeate mainstream tourism businesses in response to increasing demand by tourists and the cost savings that can be made by ‘going green’. Failte Ireland has long held the belief that the future sustainability of our tourism industry depends on the extent to which we protect the credibility of our clean green image. It is also important that visitors to Ireland are given options to reduce the carbon footprint of their holiday. With an increase in the levels of good environmental practice in the tourism sector in recent years, Ireland is in a better position than ever to offer choices to visitors wishing to have a lower emissions holiday.
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The International Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as:
"Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well‐being of local people." While "nature‐based tourism" is simply describes travel to natural places, ecotourism is a type of nature‐based tourism that benefits local communities and destinations environmentally, culturally and economically. Ecotourism represents a set of principles that have been successfully implemented in various global communities, and are supported by extensive industry and academic research. Ecotourism, when properly executed based on these principles, exemplifies the benefits of socially and environmentally sound tourism development.
The principles are set out on the Society’s website www.ecotourism.org
Ecotourism is about uniting conservation, communities, and sustainable travel. This means that those who implement and participate in ecotourism activities should follow the following ecotourism principles:
Minimize impact. Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect. Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts. Provide direct financial benefits for conservation. Provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people. Raise sensitivity to host countries' political, environmental, and social climate.
Arguably these principles have been drafted to persuade operators and travellers to consider often fragile habitats and local sensitivities in developing countries, but they apply equally strongly to small island communities, in which the natural assets that visitors are coming to see can easily be damaged by poorly executed development or uncontrolled access to wildlife or heritage. The opportunity could be promoted even more strongly if Alderney were to derive most of its electrical energy from renewable tidal sources, and perhaps even adopt electric vehicles. The continued dependence on aircraft need not necessarily be a barrier, given the increasing efficiency of modern turboprops. These approach the efficiency of road and rail travel in terms of CO2 per passenger kilometre with full loads, and are usually better in terms of emissions per passenger km than the powerful passenger vessels required in Alderney’s waters.
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4.6 SWOT analysis Strengths
Alderney has several iconic species, such as puffins, gannets, blonde hedgehogs, as well as unique sea‐ and landscapes, and fascinating military heritage.
Seabird colonies are predictable and guaranteed to be spectacular.
Nature and historical sites are all around the island and easily accessible, with few restrictions.
Alderney is perceived as offering unspoilt, uncommercialised opportunities to see wildlife & heritage.
Wildlife & heritage are attractive to a wide variety of higher spending markets (from both UK and Europe).
Good information provision on the island, especially from AWT and the Alderney Society, about local wildlife and heritage sites, with excellent volunteer support.
The Living Islands project will raise Alderney’s profile as a wildlife & heritage destination.
The project will include more business collaboration and will deliver training programmes on wildlife & heritage tourism.
Government structure offers central co‐ordination and planning advantages.
Low tax regime
Weaknesses Transport links are inadequate and
expensive, reflected in visitor surveys. Accommodation and other essentials can be
expensive. Weather can deter some visitors and
discourage them from returning. The short tourism season: although wildlife
watching and heritage visits are possible throughout the year, businesses may find it difficult to stay open due to lack of visitors and other local tourism services being closed.
Few islanders speak French. Loss of retail businesses, and perceived
scruffiness of town centre. Not enough good quality restaurants. Wildlife can be unpredictable. Visitor
expectations need to be managed as it is not possible to guarantee that (apart from seabirds) wildlife will be in a location at a certain time or day.
Early closing day for shops – seems archaic Limted acceptance of the euro in shops and
pubs
Opportunities Alderney’s iconic species and heritage sites
are largely unknown off island, and seabird colonies relatively hard to see in the southern UK and NW Europe
Potential to develop marketing targeted at Channel Island and French residents, about possibilities close to home.
Working with French nature & heritage sites to offer two centre tours
TV, environmental awareness and education are encouraging more interest in nature & heritage, especially among older, urban‐based visitors.
Good wildlife & heritage tour opportunities throughout the year, so a potential boost in the off‐season.
Staycation trend continues to have an effect. The weak pound makes Alderney more
attractive to both overseas and UK visitors Green Island concept may attract eco‐
tourists from Europe if renewable energy takes off
Threats Reduction in transport links or increased
fares may render Alderney even more inaccessible
Rising energy costs affect viability of accommodation and businesses
Further loss of retail amid increasing online shopping
Visitors have rising expectations of service and value that some providers may not meet
TV programmes raise interest in wildlife tourism and heritage but they also raise people’s expectations of what they will see.
Increasing numbers of wildlife tourists could disturb wildlife populations and heritage sites, unless visits are well managed.
Climate change may have long term effect on Channel Islands’ summer weather patterns