The upsides and downsides of tourism in rural Scotland

Marketing initiatives such as the North Coast 500 route, and promotion of our stunning remoter landscapes in Scotland by government-sponsored organisations such as Visit Scotland, have been a success when measured against economic benefits, but is that the only important criteria?
Alongside the marketing there has been a reduction in facilities such as toilets and waste management in order for local authorities to save money due to tightened budgets. Increasingly it is becoming clear that there needs to be a balance between the economic boost and the associated impacts, and managing these within acceptable to-be-defined limits to protect the very natural resource that much of the tourism depends upon.
Find out more about the upsides and downsides of tourism in rural Scotland from John Muir Trust here