The Cairngorms National Park Authority is working with North, the IoT service and solutions provider, to accrue and access data that will help manage surges of tourism in a sustainable way.
It comes as natural beauty spots across Scotland have seen an unprecedented surge in visitors amid the pandemic.
Through the installation of gateways and sensor devices connecting to North’s IoT Scotland network framework, the park authority and other local land managers will be able to use innovative technologies to monitor footfall, route usage and vehicle parking.
The network will also be available to local businesses to deploy data gathering sensors, providing them with the opportunity to gain key data findings and insights on how they can improve their services.
Funded by the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and North, the £6m IoT Scotland network provides the infrastructure for companies and organisations to tap into smart sensor applications.
The proposed footfall and car park sensors will be installed around the Aviemore and Cairngorm areas and will communicate with the IoT Scotland network through the gateways set up at Glenmore Lodge, Ciste, Day Lodge and two buildings within Aviemore.
Using the data from footfall around the area, the National Park Authority and partners will be able to monitor the most popular routes and carparks to ensure they are effectively managed to prevent degradation of the natural beauty spots.
Additionally, sensors will be used to track real-time data to maximise visitor experience and safety, relieving car park pressures and encouraging drivers towards less populous areas.
Local businesses will be able to access the network and adopt smart technology to improve their services in and around the local area, as they benefit from a surge in visitors from the easing of lockdown restrictions and flux in staycations.
Adam Streeter-Smith, recreation and access manager for CNPA, said: “We are excited about the potential of this new network which will allow people to connect sensors to and collect much better data about this important part of the National Park. We are in the process of purchasing path and vehicle counters which will be deployed locally in partnership with local land managers, including Forest and Land Scotland and Cairngorm Mountain.
"In time, the data collected will help us all build up a much better picture of who uses the area and the peak times for visiting. We will make this information available for others to use so that we can manage the area better.“
Theresa Swayne, of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), said: “The use of IoT technology is growing all the time in industry as more and more businesses discover the benefits it can bring, so we are really pleased to support CNPA with this project, along with our partners. The technology will monitor popular routes to help ensure that they are managed sustainably while at the same time helping to maximise the experience for visitors and enabling local businesses to improve their services.”
Alasdair Rettie, of North, said: “The pandemic has seen a huge upsurge in people taking up walking and outdoor activities and it is important that data plays a role in monitoring such trends to protect beauty spots, ensuring that we can facilitate tourism in a sustainable way.
“Through the use of our IoT Scotland Network, organisations across the country are able to reap the benefits of smart technology which gives access to data that can shape services and environments to mirror the ever-changing ways in which we live and work.
“We are thrilled to be working with Cairngorm National Park Authority and the land managers on this project, and it is a fantastic example of where technology and nature can come together to conserve our environment while boosting local communities.”
Scaramanga chief ‘overjoyed’ at Bond film role
The founder of Fife-based vintage company Scaramanga has declared he was “overjoyed” to find out an order for two brass padlocks was for the new James Bond movie, No Time to Die.
Oil firm bracing for 'bubble point' off Shetland
Hurricane Energy saw a sharp fall in its share price after it warned that production could be reduced or ceased altogether at the Lancaster well, amid uncertainty around the reservoir's “bubble point”.
If you have been forwarded this article and would like to sign up, or view our new range of newsletters, click below:
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel