Press Release

GLENLIVET ESTATE AWARDED A GOLD UNDER THE GREEN TOURISM BUSINESS SCHEME

3 February 2005

The Glenlivet estate has been awarded a Gold award under the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS), for demonstrating excellence in environmental practice and promoting sustainable tourism.

The Glenlivet estate, in the northeast of Scotland, was acquired by The Crown Estate in 1937 and is a highly integrated holding, managed to provide opportunities for sustained employment in agriculture, forestry, sporting and tourism, with high priority given to the long-term development of the estate's community. This is balanced with the need to protect and enhance the rich natural and cultural heritage, while preserving the special qualities and characteristics of the countryside which combine to produce the remarkable Glenlivet landscape.

The GTBS is an environmental accreditation scheme for Scottish tourism businesses sponsored by VisitScotland to and the Tourism and Environment Forum. It assesses tourism businesses against a wide range of criteria including management and marketing, communication, energy and water use, purchasing policies, waste minimisation and recycling, transport, wildlife and landscape. Within these broad categories the award reflects good environmental practice in relation to monitoring procedures, biodiversity planning and management, community projects, information provision, education and environmental sustainability.

The scheme was launched in 1998 by Quality Assurance at VisitScotland (formerly the Scottish Tourist Board) and helps tourism businesses save money by improving their environmental performance and helps protect Scotland's key asset: the environment.

The environment has benefited through waste management, lower consumption of power and water, increased recycling and cleaner, safer and better landscaped sites.

The Green Tourism Business Scheme provides a tangible and measurable response for individual businesses to pursue a more sustainable path.

For further information about the award, please consult the Green Tourism Business Scheme website.