Perthshire ‘jewel’ in expansion drive

Bungee company jumps to it with customer and visual plan

Officials at Highland Fling Bungee in Killiecrankie hope a new Adventure Hub development will cement its position within Scotland’s premier attractions.

While the company awaits word on next steps from Council planners, it hasn’t rested, trialling a new AI-based video production programme to capture the heart-leaping moments of ecstasy experienced by its global adventure customers.

It has also recently undertaken a major rebrand, consolidating the upward trajectory for a leading light of the Perthshire outdoor economy.

Should consents be rubber stamped for plans to extend its customer areas with a larch-clad Adventure Hub at its Killiecrankie base, shared with landlords NTS, it would mark another milestone for a company that celebrated its first jump back on 6th May 2011.

“When Douglas Ritchie undertook our first Economic Impact analysis back in 2010 or so, the numbers were really quite something. However, 14 years on, we’ve definitely eclipsed those projections,” said Managing Director, Murray Trail.

“The booking company we use have told us that we are up there with the bus and boat tour operators in terms of customer volume, so that is pleasing, but we are always looking to improve.”

He added: “If you go into the bars and restaurants in Pitlochry, it is quite easy to see the impact of the visitors we bring into the local area because they all have numbers on their hands,” he laughed (a reference to each jumper being given a number before jumping the 40m from the platform suspended below Garry Bridge).

Floorplan drawing of the new Adventure Hub, as shown to Perthshire Business News

Economic accumulator

Following the success of the company’s first innovation with the only purpose-built bungee jumping platform in the UK, it added a 70m swing in 2017 before creating a zip park in 2021.

During this time, employment grew from 2 full-time staff and 6 freelancers to 10 full-time employees and 25 freelance and seasonal crew.

The company also provided the venue and expertise which saw Perthshire and Scotland support – and celebrate -a world record.

In 2022, Frenchman Francois Marie-Dibon broke the 24 hour Guiness World Record, with 765 jumps, ably assisted by his Highland Fling support team at Killiecrankie, which he still visits to pay thanks.

Video system trial

Testing and potentially rolling out a new video concept is the latest thing on the company’s mind.

Being such a ‘life event’, customers crave a pictorial memento of their jump and they want their souvenir expediently.

“We have been using a video system which is ok but it is too slow, and it is easy to fall behind in orders. I spoke to some contacts in Cape Town, and we have been trialling this new system which basically edits videos in the cloud using AI and will have pre-ordered videos in customers’ email in-boxes before they leave the bridge.

“The feedback we have received is that this is pretty cool, so we are looking, potentially, at rolling that out.”

News on the Adventure Hub is expected shortly...

Visit the website - www.bungeejumpscotland.co.uk

Kyle Falconer from Dundee band The View opens Highland Fling in May 2011