Business opportunities beckon as FLS reviews visitor offering
Forestry and Land Scotland is gauging market interest in visitor services at all of its key sites across Scotland.
With potential opportunities for businesses of all sizes – including community enterprises - the Request For Information (RFI) aims to more clearly identify what stakeholders can offer, which will allow FLS to better define its requirements.
FLS is the single largest provider of outdoor recreation in Scotland, welcoming over 10 million visitors each year and generating around £110 million added value to the Scottish economy.
Rhiannon Naismith, FLS' Commercial Recreation Manager, said;
“We manage a wide variety of sites - from the most rural settings to urban forests and parks – that offer a diverse range of experiences for our visitors. We have 8 visitor centre hubs, which provide services and recreational offers to local communities and visitors and that form a gateway to the visitor sites in the surrounding locality.
“Several of our current visitor service and commercial agreements are coming to an end between 2022 and 2024 so there are opportunities for businesses to deliver catering and retail at these sites.
“We also have a number of other sites that have potential commercial opportunities so we are very keen to explore any other ideas and viable suggestions for new recreation or other income generating activities that might enhance the visitor experience on Scotland’s national forests and land.”
Anyone interested in registering their interest can view the RFI on the PCS website. Supplier registration on Public Contracts Scotland is free of charge
Visitor centre sites include: Glentress (nr Peebles); The Lodge (nr Aberfoyle); Glenmore (nr Aviemore); Queen’s View (nr Pitlochry); Ae (Ae Village, nr Dumfries); Kirroughtree (nr Newton Stewart); Glentrool (Glentrool Village nr Newton Stewart); and Clatteringshaws (nr New Galloway)
Potential sites include (but are not restricted to): Tentsmuir (nr Leuchars, Fife); Roseisle (nr Burghead, Moray); Blairadam (nr Kelty); Tyrebagger (nr Aberdeen); and East Loch Lomond (Sallochy and Rowardennan).
Depending on the chosen operating model for its key visitor centre sites, FLS will run a procurement exercise or advertise any commercial opportunities between April and June 2022.
Notes to editors
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Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) manages forests and land owned by Scottish Ministers in a way that supports and enables economically sustainable forestry; conserves and enhances the environment; delivers benefits for people and nature; and supports Scottish Ministers in their stewardship of Scotland's national forests and land.
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Media enquiries to Paul Munro, Media Manager, Forestry and Land Scotland Media Office 07785 527590 or paul.munro@forestryandland.gov.scot