North residents are being given the chance to help determine the future of one of the country’s most iconic locations.
A major consultation has been launched to gather ideas on ways to entice more tourists and protect the environment at Cairngorm and Glenmore.
The area already attracts more than one million visits per year and contributes £172million to the economy of Badenoch and Strathspey, but an action plan is now being drawn up to shape its future.
The Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) is managing the process on behalf of the Cairngorm and Glenmore Partnership, which is made of up of Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and Forest Enterprise Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Highland Council.
Hamish Trench, the CNPA’s director of conservation and visitor experience, said: “Cairngorm and Glenmore are already great.
“However, we know that development in the past has been ad-hoc, which isn’t good enough for an area so important to the park’s nature, culture and economy.
“We expect visitor numbers to increase and with it, pressure on the environment and facilities. We need to come together to plan for that, to ensure we’re offering a world-class experience for all and continuing to enhance the high quality environment.
“This consultation presents us all with a unique opportunity to lay firm foundations for a co-ordinated and strategic approach to managing this jewel in the Cairngorms National Park’s crown for generations to come.”
Councillor Audrey Sinclair, chairwoman of Highland Council’s planning development and infrastructure committee, said: “We’re expecting people in the area to say how they want to make improvement to get more visitors in.
“The council is a key partner of the CNPA and recognises the importance of the Cairngorm Glenmore corridor as one of the most heavily used tourism corridors in the Highlands.”