THE USE OF VISITOR UNDERSTANDING IN SKIING MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENTDECISIONS AT THE CAIRNGORM MOUNTAINS, SCOTLAND

The Cairngorm ski area is situated in the north-east area of Scotland in an area of outstanding natural beauty and ecological significance. Subsequently, development of the mountainside for skiing has been a co ntentious issue, particularly in the last two decades, as new developm ent schemes have been proposed. Yet the skiing industry provides econo mic benefits, such as jobs and social stability, to the area. In 1992 a working party was established by the Secretary of State for Scotland with the purpose of developing a management scheme for the whole of t he Cairngorm mountains. The draft plan was published in 1996, a part o f which refers to the development of skiing at Cairngorm, A key aspect of future development at Cairngorm rests on a better understanding of skiers' needs and attitudes. This article is based upon interviews co nducted with 490 skiers at Cairngorm during the winter of 1996/97, con cerning both their expressed needs and environmental attitudes. (C) 19 98 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.