Orkney is being invited to speak up and shape its own story.
A new project launched by Orkney Islands Council is asking local people to share how tourism really feels, the good, the bad, and everything in between.
At the heart of the initiative is an online space called Our Orkney, Our Future, where folk can upload photos, stories, and thoughts about how tourism touches their lives.
Whether it’s a cherished encounter with visitors or concerns about crowded spaces, every voice matters.
This isn’t just about gathering opinions.
It’s the first step in creating a full Visitor Management Plan, a blueprint that aims to protect what makes Orkney special while still welcoming the world to experience it.
With over 450,000 visitors each year, tourism is woven into the islands’ economy and culture.
It brings jobs, energy, and global attention.
But it also brings strain.
Infrastructure, services and the natural landscape are feeling the pressure, and communities are being asked more and more to accommodate a growing flow of visitors.
The Council’s goal is clear.
They want to make public services work better for both locals and tourists, without compromising the wellbeing of Orkney’s people or the places they care about.
By hearing directly from the community, the Council hopes to build a true-to-life picture of how tourism is experienced on the ground.
The online platform is only one piece of the puzzle.
There will also be workshops and interviews with residents and businesses, offering space for stories to be heard and solutions to be shaped together.
A reference group, made up of people from across the community, public sector and tourism industry, has been helping to steer the work from the start.
Together, they are working towards something deeply collaborative.
Something rooted in lived experience, not just statistics or policy reports.
And there’s still time to get involved.
Submissions are open until Friday 19 September, and the platform is simple to use.
You can access it here: https://form.typeform.com/to/I3EOFqOh
Orkney has long welcomed the world with open arms.
Now it’s time for the world to listen.
