How can one explain this?

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07-Jul-15, 21:42
Kenn

How can one explain this?

Have recently returned from Orkney and wonder why the roads here in Caithness are in such a state whilst theirs are in excellent repair, even the island we visited which has a population of only 600 was blessed with very good roads .
Were The Orcadians wise enough to do a deal with the oil/gas companies as The Shetlanders did ?
They have a modern airport that runs scheduled services every day and the island hopping planes too whereas we have one that is run down and gives a very limited service.
They don't have trains but most days neither do the residents of Thurso.
They are really geared up for visitors, places well signposted, well informed staff at local heritage sites , excellent walking routes, wild life tours and the like.
So where did Caithness go wrong ?
07-Jul-15, 22:06
cptdodger

Caithness has relied far too heavily on the income Dounreay has provided. Everybody goes on about how wonderful Caithness is, but does not cater for tourists. Orkney is geared up for tourists and go out their way to accommodate them, ie shops cafe's and the like opening early and staying open late, especially when the cruise ships are in. Come here on a coach trip and have a free day on a Sunday, tourists might want to visit either The Castle Of Mey, John O Groats or both, they can't, no buses on a Sunday to either. I would not like to think how much a taxi would be from Thurso to there. I worked in a hotel last year and the majority of guests were using Thurso as a stopping point for the Orkney's. Personally I do'nt know what the answer is, but if something is not done, Thurso will eventually turn into a ghost town.
07-Jul-15, 22:25
alistair harper

depends on what angle you are looking at you need to take into account population , caithness 39.732 population orkney 21,349
number of people increase and also traffic increases.
buses are controlled by council stats eg how many tourists used buses previous year can they subsidies this for the following year
thurso turning into a ghost town yes it can happen some day will it happen probely not in our lifetime but can happen to any town even orkney
07-Jul-15, 23:23
Kevin Milkins

Road Sign

Quote:

Originally Posted by LIZZ

Have recently returned from Orkney and wonder why the roads here in Caithness are in such a state whilst theirs are in excellent repair, even the island we visited which has a population of only 600 was blessed with very good roads .
Were The Orcadians wise enough to do a deal with the oil/gas companies as The Shetlanders did ?
They have a modern airport that runs scheduled services every day and the island hopping planes too whereas we have one that is run down and gives a very limited service.
They don't have trains but most days neither do the residents of Thurso.
They are really geared up for visitors, places well signposted, well informed staff at local heritage sites , excellent walking routes, wild life tours and the like.
So where did Caithness go wrong ?

I have to agree with the road signage Lizz, very accurate.

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...85&oe=56213F85
07-Jul-15, 23:54
RWB

Caithness having a better online presence for tourists would be a good start.

here's Orkney's http://www.visitorkney.com/

and here's ours

http://www.visitscotland.com/info/towns-villages/caithness-and-north-coast-sutherland-area-p245041
08-Jul-15, 00:07
Kevin Milkins

Have you had a chance to browse this one, I thought it looked good.

https://www.facebook.com/venturenort...441958/?type=1
08-Jul-15, 00:42
RWB

cheers Kevin (you Twatt) that's a pretty good site, but if i google 'Caithness Tourist Information' (which some tourists might do) that Facebook page is nowhere to be seen.

Maybe HIE could put money towards developing a one stop shop website like Orkney's for Caithness & Sutherland (not shoehorn us into a dark and dingy corner of VisitScotlands)

There's a section on Orkney's website http://www.visitorkney.com/places-to-visit-en-route/, it's an embarassment, half of the things to see and do are linked by LGN :roll:
08-Jul-15, 09:13
sids

The Northern Islands have a council which wants tourists to visit.

We have a council in Inverness, which wants tourists and most other things to avoid Caithness.
08-Jul-15, 09:26
cptdodger

Quote:

Originally Posted by alistair harper

depends on what angle you are looking at you need to take into account population , caithness 39.732 population orkney 21,349
number of people increase and also traffic increases.
buses are controlled by council stats eg how many tourists used buses previous year can they subsidies this for the following year
thurso turning into a ghost town yes it can happen some day will it happen probely not in our lifetime but can happen to any town even orkney

The buses may be controlled by council stats, however the tourists have'nt had a chance to use the bus on a Sunday, so they have nothing to base that on. And of course Orkney could turn into a ghost town, but from what I have seen they are doing everything in their power to stop that. For example,this is a list of Cruise Ships docking in Orkney this year - http://www.orkneyharbours.com/staff/...ersion2015.pdf.

In July alone, if the ships are full, Orkney will receive - 28,572 visitors. That is some boost to their economy. Scrabster on the other hand, has a total of 5 cruise ships this year - again if the ships are full - 3,032 visitors. There is absolutely no comparison with the Orkney's.
08-Jul-15, 11:12
sids

Quote:

Originally Posted by cptdodger

In July alone, if the ships are full, Orkney will receive - 28,572 visitors. That is some boost to their economy. Scrabster on the other hand, has a total of 5 cruise ships this year - again if the ships are full - 3,032 visitors. There is absolutely no comparison with the Orkney's.

But you just compared them!
08-Jul-15, 11:42
cptdodger

Quote:

Originally Posted by sids

But you just compared them!

Okay, I will make it a bit simpler for you. The amount of revenue The Orkney's receives from the Cruise Ships, let alone the countless people who go over there for a holiday, day trip and so on, by far outweighs the revenue Caithness receives from tourists.
08-Jul-15, 11:50
rob murray

Quote:

Originally Posted by alistair harper

depends on what angle you are looking at you need to take into account population , caithness 39.732 population orkney 21,349
number of people increase and also traffic increases.
buses are controlled by council stats eg how many tourists used buses previous year can they subsidies this for the following year
thurso turning into a ghost town yes it can happen some day will it happen probely not in our lifetime but can happen to any town even orkney

Is the population of Caithness and Sutherland c39,000...Caithness itself is c 24,000 ?
08-Jul-15, 12:26
sids

Quote:

Originally Posted by cptdodger

Okay, I will make it a bit simpler for you. The amount of revenue The Orkney's receives from the Cruise Ships, let alone the countless people who go over there for a holiday, day trip and so on, by far outweighs the revenue Caithness receives from tourists.

Yes, I expect that's true. Even I sometimes spend leisure time in Orkney.