Highland campervan voluntary charge scheme misses target by miles

A SCHEME designed to boost income from high numbers of visitors enjoying the Highlands via campervan or motorhome is falling far short of expectations.

A report going to Highland Council’s corporate resources committee on Thursday shows just £20,000 has been realised from the Highland Campervan and Motorhome Scheme - against an annual target of £500,000.

The scheme was introduced last summer as a £40 voluntary fee giving those visitors who made the payment a seven-day pass helping contribute towards improvements to the likes of public toilets and wastewater infrastructure, while also helping the region provide more council-owned sites.

The income figure comes just as the NC500 route marks its 10th anniversary, with both the benefits and drawbacks of the marketing initiative being widely debated.

The report to the committees adds: “Work is ongoing to develop the communications and marketing strategy for this scheme.

“This strategy will go beyond just reach and engagement to include increased promotion of sustainable and responsible tourism across the Highlands to benefit our natural assets, the local environment and our communities.

“The Project Board is taking mitigating actions to increase the levels of income generated.”

And it states that ”over-performance” of some other income-generating projects partially offsets the shortfall for the campervan scheme.

Elsewhere the prospect of new visitor facilities is raised for both the popular Chanonry Point site on the Black Isle and the Torvean area of Inverness and the committee is told of an “urgent” need for better access to wastewater disposal sites, freshwater replenishment and disposal of “dry waste” (general litter).

The idea of new visitor facilities comes after the creation of the £570,000 Storr Centre on Skye, a new retail, exhibition and community building, though business cases have yet to be developed to inform what form any facilities at the more local sites would take - or whether they would even go ahead at all.

On the facilities front the committee is told: “Preliminary work has been undertaken to review the potential of existing public conveniences owned by The Highland Council with access to mains sewage network.

“Supported by the respective community development managers, the project team will now engage through area business meetings in the coming weeks to discuss the potential sites in more detail.

“Engagement will include focus upon sustaining tourism in the local area.”

Nairn Harbour is among sites set to get more bins from the end of March, as well as a new bin shelter or “enclosure”. The number of bins at Torvean in Inverness is assessed as adequate but an enclosure will also be provided there to “improve the aesthetics for all users” and reduce the risk of bins falling over in high winds.

Council tax on second and long-term empty homes also appears to have given the council a major financial boost, contributing £5.42 million in income over 2024/25, against a target of £5.3 million.

All of this comes as the council continues to consult on a proposed visitor levy, due to run until the end of the month, and is set to reply to a Scottish Government consultaion on a possible cruise ship passenger levy by the end of May.

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