‘North Hunt’ Sustainable Hunting Tourism –

Business Opportunity in Northern Europe

Colin Hunter, Geography & Environment, University of Aberdeen

North Hunt Involves 10 Partner Institutions from

Finland, Iceland, Scotland, Sweden & Canada

Runs from 1/1/08 to 31/12/10 (actually started May 08); €1.1 million

Presentation Outline Project Partners

Overall aim and focus

Key objectives

Outline of Work Packages

Progress update

Project Partners Finland: Ruralia Institute, Uni. of Helsinki (lead);

Haapavesi Vocational School

Iceland: Research Centre, Uni. of Akureyri; Tourism Research Centre; Environment Agency

Scotland: Macaulay Institute; Uni. of Aberdeen

Sweden: Uni. of Agricultural Sciences; Rural Business Development Ltd

Canada: New’land & Labrador Outfitter’s Assoc.

Overall Aim & FocusOverall Aim: Promote the development of sustainable

hunting tourism to diversify economic activity in peripheral regions of northern Europe

Focus is on: Practical facilitation – developing the

operational environment & expertise for SMEs/sector; networking; information exchange

Key Objectives Reduce obstacles to entrepreneurship Enhance the activities of SMEs Promote discussion and raise awareness of

the potential and challenges of hunting tourism

Create sustainability models and tools for managing hunting tourism in different institutional and cultural contexts

Produce criteria/training materials for the sector

Outline of Work Packages WP1: Management, co-ordination &

communication WP2: Attitudes to hunting tourism (obstacles,

potential for growth; co-led by UoA) WP3: Objective information to support

SME/sector development (economic value, ecological management, relationship between SMEs & marketing/sales organisations; co-led by MI)

WP4: Developing the SME & operational environment (new/improved businesses & networks, criteria/guidelines for sustainability)

WP5: Provision of training & education materials

Progress update WP1 – agreed management structure; formal

Partner meetings; web site; direct contact with relevant groups; agreed evaluation framework and communication/dissemination plan

WP2 – target/stakeholder groups identified and interview schedule developed/agreed; interviews on-going

WP3 – questionnaire for sales organisations developed/agreed; contact lists of respondents drawn up

WP4 – work underway to bring together key stakeholders in reference groups (help test relevance of outputs)/networks

WP5 – not yet underway