THE hugely-successful NC500 tourist route could provide the blueprint for driving more visitors to other parts of the Highlands.
Councillors believe it could be replicated in other parts of the region and have even suggested a “snow road” trail through the Cairngorms as a way of landing more holidaymakers.
The North Coast 500 was launched a year ago and its use as a location for filming the revamped BBC Top Gear show and Jeremy Clarkson’s new motoring programme The Grand Tour has boosted its profile.
It is known as Scotland’s “Route 66” and has already given hotels, B&Bs and other businesses in the area a welcome shot-in-the-arm.
Now members of Highland Council’s strategic planning committee yesterday want the idea rolled-out to other parts of the north.
Colin Simpson, the council’s tourism and film officer, hailed the publicity the NC 500 was generating for the Highlands as whole.
Fort William Councillor Thomas MacLennan completed the scenic drive in the last fortnight and said he was astonished how busy businesses were around the route were.
And he called for further trials to be established across the Highlands, and possibly extended into Moray and the islands.
He said: “It was absolutely incredible how busy everywhere was.
“In the middle of nowhere and in some of the most far flung parts of the north Highlands there were groups of cars, groups of motorcyclists.
“We were calling into various cafes only to find them chock-a-block.
“I think they probably had the busiest holiday weekend they’ve ever had at this time of year.”
He added: “Having now driven around the North Coast 500 and having seen the scenery up there, we should be look for a report to come back to the committee to try and replicate this in other parts of the Highlands.
“We’ve got lots of scenery in the Highlands and I’m sure we could recreate the North Coast 500 in other parts of the Highlands, encompass parts of Perthshire, Moray the Western Isles.
“I think it’s something we should look at and replicate it.”
He was backed by Badenoch and Strathspey councillor Bill Lobban who suggested a “snow road” passing through his ward.
Caithness councillor Matthew Reiss also praised the idea saying that he had received reports from businesses that had previously closed out of season and were now being forced to turn people away because they were so busy.
He said: “Just last weekend two people I know were on the North Coast 500 in the Wester Ross and Applecross area and they said the traffic was unbelievably busy for the time of year.
“The amount of income and extra benefits that were being brought in as a result of the North Coast 500 cannot be underestimated.”
Tourist officer Mr Simpson said the success of the North Coast 500 was not “just a case of having a good idea and a lot of people came”.
He added: “There’s a certain element of luck in what will capture the imagination of the public and will take off in the way the North Coast 500 has done.
“That’s not to say we shouldn’t try and we’ll support any other business group if they come up with the ideas.”
The North Coast 500 starts in Inverness and goes across the west Highlands to Applecross and then up the coast to Ullapool and on to Durness.
It then follows the north coast to Caithness and John O’Groats before joining the A9 to return to the Highland capital.
David Whiteford, chairman of the North Highland Initiative which launched the NC500, said he would like to see a Scottish “route network” straddling the country.
He said: “There’s the old saying that imitation is the best form of flattery.
“On the basis of that it is great to hear that the councillors were so positive about the North Coast 500 and that they’d like to see the concept rolled-out elsewhere.
“The NC500 has reached a worldwide audience of some 620 million people on a miniscule budget but it’s captured the imagination.”
