Macduff Marine Aquarium, and the Troup Head live camera link to the aquarium won top prizes.

Picking up highly commended awards were the marked walking trails in Banff and Macduff, and Banff Harbour ­Marina, which received two awards.

The Macduff aquarium was the winner in the visitor experience category. It is also the venue for another winner – the RSPB video camera on Troup Head cliffs, which beams live pictures of seabirds on the cliffs to a big screen in the building. The camera link won in the innovation category.

Banff Harbour Marina was highly commended, both for innovation and for tourism and sustainability.

In the Aberdeenshire Tourism Initiative section, Banff and Macduff Historical Walks was presented with a highly commended certificate.

Sponsored by Aberdeenshire Council, the initiative award looks to recognise work done by communities or business groups to increase the visitor’s understanding, knowledge and enjoyment of the Aberdeenshire area.

Aberdeenshire Council itself picked up some awards.

Aberdeenshire Coastal Path Maps and Guide was highly commended in the innovation category, which recognises different tourism projects that have an impact on an area’s product offering.

The council’s landscape services department was highly commended for customer service.

The winners of the 2007 Northern Lights Tourism Awards were announced at the North East Scotland Tourism Conference held at the Marcliffe Hotel, Aberdeen.

Claire Matthews, the aquarium’s education and marketing officer, and Joanna McFarlane, RSPB Troup Head community officer, were there to collect the awards from Cheryl Paul, STV’s business correspondent.

Aquarium’s manager, Witek Mojsiewicz, said: “After 10 years of operation, this is the first time we’ve won an award, and to have netted two in one ceremony is just fantastic.

“We’re delighted to have been so successful, especially to have been awarded best visitor experience, since it is the visitors themselves who put forward nominations via the tourist information centres.

“We have also been thrilled to work with the RSPB on the Troup Head live-camera link project – not only is it great to be linked with the international charity, but to be able to showcase Troup Head’s amazing seabird colony at the aquarium has added much value to our visitors’ experience.

“We’re looking forward to strengthening our links in the coming years.”

Joanna McFarlane added: “There is no doubt that the North-east of Scotland could be another of Scotland’s leading wildlife destinations, and the fact that three wildlife tourism attractions won awards yesterday is testament to this.

“The RSPB Troup Head live camera link has been successful purely due to effective partnerships with the aquarium and local marine wildlife watching tour operators.

“Not only will these partnerships put the North-east of Scotland on the map for wildlife, but it will also bring long-term economical benefits to the local community. We are delighted that our project received the award.”

The Northern Lights Tourism Awards were established in 2003. They have put the spotlight on the high quality tourism products and initiatives on offer in Moray, Aberdeen city and shire.

boardman_g@spp-group.com

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