Tourism
There is no evidence to suggest that wind farms deter tourists, indeed many wind farms are themselves tourist attractions.
The Ecotech Centre in Norfolk, and the Gaia Energy Centre in Cornwall, shows that with a proactive and positive approach wind farms can become tourist attractions.
Many large wind farms are now required to include a socio-economic assessment as part of the planning application. Increasingly these studies are incorporating the development of innovative schemes, such as visitor centres, to encourage people to visit the wind farm and the local area.
A study carried out by MORI Scotland in 2002, Tourist Attitudes Towards Wind Farms, investigated the views of tourists visiting Argyle and Bute. The research concluded that the wind farms, in Argyle and Bute, were not seen as having a detrimental impact on the tourists’ visits and would not deter them from visiting the area again. The majority of tourists also viewed the prospect of a visitor centre favourably.
Further Information
The British Wind Energy Association website contains some analysis of wind farms and tourism.
Downloads
| Type | Title | Size | Last Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist Attitudes Towards Wind Farms | 381 KB | 20/12/2007 |