Tourists may face alcohol ban at popular beauty spot over party campsites mysery

The destructive impact of overtourism on beauty spots around the world has been well-documented as the number of jet-setting holidaymakers continues to climb alongside cheap flight prices and viral getaways.

The Scottish Highlands could soon be among the popular destinations introducing a so-called tourist tax by charging a 5% levy on hotel, and B&B stays – but one councillor has called for more on-the-ground effort to discourage litterbugs in the historic mountain region.

A Liberal Democrat councillor for Scotland’s picturesque Glen Etive has called for a ban on public alcohol consumption amid rising levels of rubbish, campfires and even human waste in the rural valley.

Andrew Baxter, who represents the Fort William and Ardamurchan region, said the problem is severe enough to warrant the introduction of a no-alcohol bylaw.

Local authorities in Scotland can create bylaws that prohibit alcohol consumption in specific public places for towns and villages, applying at specific times or dates.

However, Mr Baxter said he isn’t confident the law will be changed because of the high cost of opening a public consultation.

“There are horrific stories from the glen, including residents having to pick up human faeces and party campsites, weekend after weekend,” he told the Press and Journal.

“National Trust staff have been abused for asking people to move on,” the councillor added.

“There is no off-season now, as people come to Glen Coe and Glen Etive in their thousands year-round.

“We need a by-law to protect the residents, the wildlife and the outstanding natural beauty of the glen.”

Thousands of tourists visit Glen Etive every year as part of the West Coast 200 route, a well-trod tourist drive that weaves around western Scotland’s coastal towns and sweeping landscapes.

The glen’s popularity among visitors was further exacerbated by its role in the James Bond film Skyfall, however, where it played the backdrop for the childhood home of Daniel Craig’s 007.

A 2012 social media campaign called Glen Etive the Dirty Truth blamed tourists for causing erosion at the spot while recreating an iconic image of Craig and Judi Dench’s M looking out over the glen, as well as highlighting litter left by wild campers.

Mr Baxter said he was told in pre-COVID discussions that a public consultation for the bylaw would cost £100,000, however – something he thought would discourage local authorities from implementing it, despite the environmental benefit.

Glencoe and Glen Etive Community Council also suggested at a meeting in January that the larger Highland authority would “not be willing to take on the cost of the public consultation process” at a meeting in January.

“The National Trust for Scotland encourages responsible access to all of our places,” a spokesperson for the conservation organisation said.

“Our ranger teams spend a lot of time speaking to visitors and informing them how to minimise the impact they have on the special landscape they have come to enjoy.

“A variety of solutions have been suggested to reduce issues with anti-social camping in Glencoe and Glen Etive.

“The Trust will work with other organisations to implement whatever changes are recommended.”