#CaseStudy
Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere Reserve: Keeping Biosphere Business Connections Alive Virtually
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The UK National Commission for UNESCO’s case studies are a series of studies that focus on specific interactions between UNESCO’s programmes, designations and objectives and the UK
Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere Reserve: Keeping Biosphere Business Connections Alive Virtually
PUBLISHED 25 JUNE 2020
This case study is featured as part of a number of examples relating to the National Value of UNESCO to the UK report
Dumfries and Galloway Environment Fair organised by Dumfries and Galloway Outdoor Learning, ‘virtual’ for the first time due to Covid-19 and social distancing, presented a new opportunity to reach out to businesses in the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere Reserve through a live webinar on Sustainable Tourism.
Dumfries and Galloway Environment Fair organised by Dumfries and Galloway Outdoor Learning, ‘virtual’ for the first time due to Covid-19 and social distancing, presented a new opportunity to reach out to businesses in the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere Reserve through a live webinar on Sustainable Tourism.
Businesses joined Melanie Allen, of Award Winning Nithbank Country Estate, and Kathi Kamleitner of Watch Me See, to present the webinar.
Melanie holds the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Certification Mark and is a proud ambassador of the Biosphere Reserve, working to promote sustainable tourism and encouraging an ‘Always Local First’ approach.
Kathi is a seasoned top Scottish Travel Blogger and ‘Tourism’s Influencer of the Year 2019’. She visited the Biosphere Reserve in November 2019, participating in and blogging about her eco-tourism ‘Biosphere Experience’.
Melanie discussed the benefits of travelling to destinations like the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and how a business can become an influencer and advocate of sustainable and responsible travel and how Biosphere Certification and Proud Supporter schemes offer a real opportunity to show how much the local environment, communities, and other local businesses, are valued.
The Biosphere Reserve can help shape tourism today and in the future. Ideas were exchanged on how to support local businesses, and how those businesses can share their story. Kathi presented the short travel blog film she had produced showcasing eco-tourism in the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and shared with bloggers and businesses who joined the conversation how to get the benefits of gaining real life insights and stories. How to find and share the ‘hidden gems’, and how the environment could influence a new trend to visit ‘rural and remote’ travel destinations post Covid-19.
“The Dumfries and Galloway Environment Fair going ‘virtual’ this year was a great achievement by Dumfries and Galloway Outdoor Learning, and the range of webinars for all ages was fabulous to see. The UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is a fantastic subject for discussion, and it was a pleasure to be asked to present the webinar on Sustainable Tourism. Being joined by Kathi was a real bonus as she provided a first-hand account of her visit back in November and we took a look into Biosphere Experiences and how visitors can add meaningful and memorable experience to their stay in the area. This is something we would love to build on for the future.”
Melanie Allen, Nithbank Country Estate
This case study is featured as part of a number of examples relating to the National Value of UNESCO to the UK report
ISSN 2050-8212 (Print)
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The 2020 National Value for UNESCO to the UK Report & Programme
The National Value Report seeks to capture the economic and wider intangible value of the UK network of UNESCO designations. It finds that the network is adding significant value to our economy and society and recommends how this value can be enhanced.
The National Value of UNESCO Designations to the United Kingdom Report shows how UNESCO is bringing sites, people and communities together, and creating and delivering value for the United Kingdom. It finds that the vibrant network of UNESCO sites in the UK, its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies are contributing in three main areas: they contribute financial value, they make a rich and creative contribution to the UK’s environment, culture and communities and contribute to the attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
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The 2020 National Value for UNESCO to the UK Report & Programme Case Studies
The case studies that form this series illustrate the benefits to the UK that are contributed by the vibrant Network of UK UNESCO sites as found by the National Value Report; featuring financial value, academic research, environmentalism and climate change, promotion and preservation of culture, education and more.
PUBLISHED 25 JUNE 2020