THE ECONOMIC-IMPACT OF WILDLIFE SITES IN SCOTLAND

This paper describes the benefits to local economies from the conserva tion and management of designated wildlife sites in Scotland, from oth er conservation-related policy measures and from the expenditures of v isitors attracted by the wildlife resource. Three case-study areas are selected for the measurement of visitor-induced benefits (Orkney, Wes ter Ross and Highland Perthshire) and the direct, indirect and induced income and employment effects of visitor spending are quantified. Alt hough the mean expenditure per visitor is highest in Orkney, due to a longer mean length of stay and a higher proportion of the expenditure that could be attributed to the wildlife attraction, the largest wildl ife impact is in Highland Perthshire due to the higher number of visit ors to the area. The indirect employment impacts from site visitor exp enditure are significant and substantially greater than either those a ssociated directly with site management or those derived from excheque r transfers under other conservation-related policy measures. The impl ications for the agencies that manage wildlife sites are assessed and it is concluded that greater emphasis on enhancing the user and local area benefits may also have important indirect benefits for the activi ties of the conservation bodies themselves.