What we do
Highland Perthshire (HP) Tourism
Co-operation Group Agreement
1. Aims and Objectives
a) The purpose of the HP Portal is for HP tourism businesses
to work together in areas where there is no conflict in business
interest by promoting other HP businesses via web sites, leaflets
etc that the Group agrees on from time to time. For instance a 'Bed
and Breakfast' would promote non-accommodation HP businesses on
their own web site and visa versa.
b) The broad objective of the HP Portal is to bring about wide collaboration throughout Highland Perthshire by helping tourism businesses networking together. Once the HP Portal is established, wider networking opportunities will be explored, through business lunches, business network web sites etc.
2. Membership
2.1 A member is a business that complies with the
following:-
a) Location - Is a tourist business based in H.P. as defined
by the area on the Google Map (See Appendix 1).
b) Quality Statement - Is a business that primarily earns its income from tourism, with a record of providing a service that satisfies the majority of its customers, without breaching various legal requirements whether health and safety, hygiene, fire, safety or any other requirements. There is a Customer Feed Back form on each businesses detailed offer page, which includes an overall rating mark, with comments. This will be e-mailed to the business once it comes in to the web site so they are aware of what is being submitted as feedback - this feedback will hopefully be constructive comments and help businesses further improve their offering.
c) Is a business that promotes itself through the HP Portal by having at least one promotional block(s) on the HP Portal. There will be a maximum of one promotion block per category per business. (For example; a restaurant can not take out three promotion blocks under restaurants, nor can it promote itself under another category etc).
d) Is a business that promotes all other non-conflicting businesses via leaflets, and category page feeds from the HP Portal to pages with a navigation link on their web site titled "Local Deals" the sub pages will have the same headings as the HP Portal site. If a business falls under more than two category headings, it can only opt not to take two category feeds, it needs to choose which two feeds it does not take. (The logic of this, is that some large establishments may well run activities across a whole range of sectors - it is not fair to expect everyone else to promote their activities without reciprocating with a reasonable measure of coverage.)
2.2 Development Membership - Development members will only exist during the development phase of the HP Portal. A small number of businesses (As detailed in Appendix 2) have agreed help develop the HP Portal. These businesses will form the core of the HP Portal membership and help formulate and test the HP Portal concept to its launch.
2.3 Wider membership - Once the HP Portal has been developed and tested by the Development Membership, the Development Members will be given the option to take out a full membership along with all other tourism businesses in Highland Perthshire.
2.4 National Organisation Members - There are a
very few Trusts/Organisations that operate in Highland Perthshire
as part of a national or international structure, that do not have
the option to add local information to their organisations web
site. Those organisations that are invited to join, need to be
distinct while adding a unique quality to the Highland Perthshire
scene. Current examples all fall under the out 'Attractions'
category, namely: -
• Dewars World of Whisky
• Bells Blair Atholl Distillery
• The National Trust for Scotland
• Scottish Wildlife Trust (Loch of the Lowes)
• Forestry Commission Scotland (Queens View etc)
These organisations can join the Cooperation Group, on the understanding that they are unable to promote other members via their web site, but they will support all members in other ways wherever possible, particularly through displaying other members' leaflets on Highland Perthshire. A two-thirds majority of existing members must be in agreement to any organisation falling in this category participating.
2.5 New members or existing members requiring additional
promotion blocks - Any new businesses wanting to join the
H.P. Portal or an existing member wanting an additional category
block must be approved by the existing HP Portal membership as
follows:-
a) All new applicants will be required to complete an
application form, with details of their tourism business along with
the category(ies) that they wish their business to be promoted
under on the HP Portal (See Appendix 3), along with areas that not
being in conflict with their own business, they will promote on
their web site.
b) The HP web portal controller will circulate the application
form with the new member's details to all existing HP
members.
c) Existing HP Portal members will have a maximum of 7 days (5
working days) in which to comment on a new member's application.
Failure to comment, will be taken as acceptance of the new member's
application.
d) If there are no objections the application will pass and
membership will be provided to the web site.
e) If an existing member has an objection to a new
applicant, the grounds for the objection must be clearly
stated in writing to the HP web portal controller.
f) The HP web portal controller will speak to the applicant
and establish their comments, so both sides of the argument as
presented to the members to vote on.
g) The HP web portal controller will circulate the objection
with the applicant's response to the objection to the HP Portal
members for comment, (having removed the objector's name), for
members to vote and comment on. They will have a maximum of 7 days
(5 working days) in which to respond. Those objecting to a
businesses application for membership MUST state the grounds for
their objections - this allows the applicant to know the grounds
for their membership refusal.
h) The response from the all the HP Portal members will form
the basis of whether the new business applicant is accepted in to
the HP Portal scheme or not. Two-thirds majority of businesses that
respond need to be in favour of any new applicant.
i) New businesses will only be allowed a promotional block
once their web site has taken the feeds from the HP portal for the
pages that are not in conflict with their business interests (as
outlined in their application form).
2.6 New Member's Client Feed embed story
2.6.i A new member has been approved for the system.
2.6.ii new member has identified their core activity area. From
this, site admin chooses the feeds the new business will embed on
their site.
2.6.iii Admin sends new member an introduction pack. Pack includes
technical details for importing feeds to clients existing website.
This will have the URLs to the feeds as chosen in the previous
step.
2.6.iv New member sets feeds up within their site.
2.6.v Admin verifies feed setup. - Upon verification Admin sends
log-in details and conducts training for the portal.
