Research proposal

Seasonality is an issue which deeply affects tourism in many areas including Scotland. The reasons for seasonality can be broadly split into occurring for natural reasons; changes in climate, precipitation and daylight or institutional reasons; cultural preferences and fashions amongst those who travel to the destination.  The latter is arguably the more difficult to manage as it can be unpredictable.  The fluctuations in demand that cause seasonality are important to the destination as it can impact on such diverse areas such as employment, commercial success of businesses and the other stakeholders involved in the destination.  Seasonality is obviously a concern in those destinations that have a greater reliance on tourism than others.

The research will consider issues such as the current value and volume of tourism in Scotland and the region under focus in the case study; the Borders. This will allow greater analysis of the impact of seasonality, enhancing the importance of addressing the subsequent problems.

The nature and appeal of adventure tourism will also be addressed as this will demonstrate the suitability of the activity as a year-round option in addressing fluctuations in tourism demand.

After looking at the background of the problem and the suggested solution, the research will identify if it is in fact a feasible proposition. If it is found to be not, reasons for this will be presented together with suggested alternative solutions to address seasonality. If it is found to be a feasible solution, further recommendations will be made.

The aim of this study is, therefore, to identify ways in which seasonality may be addressed in the region in order that the differences between the different periods be minimised, displaying a more even spread throughout the year. The study does not aim to examine how overall tourism may be increased as it is important to recognise that over-saturation of the destination during peak months can lead to visitor management problems with a likely increase in negative impacts.