Perthshire goes for green Oscars

Unique green film initiative dramatically highlights Perthshire’s world class resorts

The local council and some of Perthshire’s top resort hotels have collaborated on a new film that will showcase the area’s environmental tourism credentials to audiences throughout the UK and internationally.

The film shows the excellent work being done at Perthshire’s major resort destinations to ensure that their businesses are as sustainable and environmentally friendly as possible.

The project is the work of the Perthshire’s Green Resorts group, an informal initiative comprising The Gleneagles Hotel, Crieff Hydro, Duchally Hotel and Country Estate, Hilton Dunkeld House Hotel, Atholl Palace Hotel and the Green Tourism Business Scheme. The group is co-ordinated by Perth & Kinross Council.

The 15-minute film, shot by director Rob Bryce of Blue Stone Films, illustrates just some of the many projects and schemes implemented by the Perthshire resorts as they work towards increased sustainability and environmental best practice.

These include growing their own vegetables on site instead of importing them from abroad, replacing lighting systems to cut down on electricity consumption, recycling wood from nearby estates to use in energy production, using water from natural springs and sourcing produce from local farmers.

The film has been paid for by the Council’s Developing Rural Tourism project, through the European Regional Development Fund. Additional funding has also come from the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS). All of the businesses featured hold either Gold or Silver Awards from the GTBS – the UK’s sustainable tourism certification scheme.

The film will be used to heighten environmental awareness with other local tourism enterprises, for staff training at the resorts and as a promotional tool for visitors both in the UK and internationally. It will feature on the websites of the five Green Resorts and is also available to view online on the `GreenTourismGTBS` YouTube channel.

The Council’s Enterprise and Infrastructure Convener, Councillor John Kellas, said "The environmental approach is a win-win situation for everyone. The local environment benefits, visitors are happy to visit a clean, green place, and the resort businesses keep their costs down."

"All of the resorts featured in the short film are committed to providing a luxury experience to visitors in a sustainable way. The businesses realise the importance of sustainability, not only to attract visitors, but to ensure that their overheads can be kept as low as possible."

"The Green Resorts initiative is a great example of how partnership working, and collaborative thinking, can make a real difference. This film is really excellent and will give a positive impression of Perthshire to everyone who views it."

Andrea Nicholas, Managing Director of the Green Tourism Business Scheme, said: "I’ve been involved with green tourism initiatives for many years and this is the first time I’ve seen a group of potentially competing hotels working so well together. The film is a unique and outstanding example of their collaborative approach and we will be promoting it throughout the UK and overseas."

Atholl Palace Environmental Team Leader, Innes Smith, added: "The film beautifully captures the spirit of what we, and the other hotels, are trying to achieve."

Valere Tjolle
Valere is editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite 2012 Special Offers HERE