Tourism

Scotland is a modern, ambitious country with a strong historical story to tell, and this is why the tourism industry in Scotland continues to thrive. Millions of domestic and international visitors enjoy Scotland’s many attractions each year and continuing growth in the Scottish tourism industry has created lucrative investment opportunities.

The Scottish tourism industry provides employment for 200,000 people, the equivalent of 9 per cent of all Scottish jobs. The tourism industry is of vital importance to the wider economy of Scotland, generating £4.9 billion per year (5 per cent of GDP) and supporting 27,000 tourism businesses. Substantial investment opportunities exist in areas such as:

• City hotels
• Resorts
• Spas and resort marinas
• Cultural tourism

The Scottish tourism industry benefits from a fully developed network of support companies and an infrastructure designed to encourage growth.

Further growth in the Scottish tourism industry and wider economy is projected, making Scotland an attractive investment option for high-quality tourism developments. Scotland continues to attract prestigious brands and to provide an environment in which new concepts and developments can flourish.

• Demand is outstripping supply and further developments are required in several sectors.
• Scotland delivers the highest average room rate and revenue per available room (RevPar) figures in the UK outside London.
• There was a 12.2 per cent increase in international visits and a 17.1 per cent growth in expenditure between 2005 and 2006.
• Strong growth is projected in several areas, including the market for short breaks among UK residents.
• Business tourism is a rapidly growing sector, with Edinburgh and Glasgow ranked among the world’s top 30 cities in the world by number of conferences.

Our dedicated and experienced team works closely with developers, investors and operators to help maximise the potential of tourism in Scotland.

Contact us to find out more about the support available for the Scottish tourism industry