Tourism is an important sector within the Scottish economy. The home building industry in Scotland directly and indirectly contributed around £5 billion to the Scottish economy in 2006 – about 2% of GDP – greater than that of higher profile industries such as agriculture, fishing, electronics and tourism. All rights reserved. A report by Deloitte found that tourism was worth £11.6 billion to Scotland's economy in 2013, and supports over 292,000 jobs. Tourism contributes significantly to the Scottish economy and is vital to the economic performance and employment of towns, cities, regions and rural communities across the length and breadth of Scotland. • increased total employment in the tourism industry from 185,100 in 2011 • increased total tourism turnover from £6.221m in 2011 A new approach TS2020 was informed and led by industry, reflecting the sector’s appetite for growth and commitment to developing Scotland’s tourism offer. Europe provided the largest single market area for visitors to Scotland in 2018 with 2.2 million visitors or 64% of all international visitors, up from 59% in 2017. The recovery of this crucial £11 billion industry requires a multi-agency approach, working with the tourism industry to help those affected today, tomorrow and in the future. 8.4% of Scotland's total companies (2019), 8.3% of Scotland's total employment (2018). Gov.scot uses cookies which are essential for the site to work. The report said that the sector could be worth £23.1 billion by 2025. 1.4. This report, produced on behalf of the TLG, gives an overview of tourism in Scotland, and is divided into three main sections: Infographic Text: Tourism Contributes Around £6BN Of GDP To The Scottish Economy, 5% Of The Total, Each Additional £100 Million Spent By Tourists Supports Around £65 Million Of GDP In The Wider Economy, Tourism Employs 207,000 People, Around One In 12 Jobs In The Economy, Tourism Employment Has Grown 12% Since 2011, Creating An Extra 20,000 Jobs, Over 9% Of The Sector’s Workforce Are Non- UK EU Nationals, Compared With 5% For Scotland As A Whole, There Are Over 14,000 Tourism Businesses In Scotland, Around One In 12 Of Scotland’s Registered Businesses, In 2016 Almost £4.8 Billion Was Spent By Overnight Visitors To Scotland, Over 2.7 Million Overseas Visitors Came To Scotland In 2016 – Up 17% Since 2011, In 2016, Scotland’s Top Five Markets For International Visitors Were: USA, Germany, France, Canada, Poland (By Volume) USA, Germany, Canada, Australia, Italy (By Value), Scotland Was Voted As The Most Beautiful And Most Welcoming Country In The World* By Rough Guide Readers In 2017, Scotland Is Home To Six UNESCO World Heritage Sites One Fifth Of The UK’s Total**, The National Museum Of Scotland And Edinburgh Castle Each Attracted Over 2 Million Visitors In 2017 – The Most Visited UK Attractions Outside Of London, Scotland Is The Home of Golf, Whisky & Tartan, *Source: Most Beautiful: https://www.roughguides.com/gallery/most-beautiful-country-in-the-world/ Most Welcoming: https://www.roughguides.com/special-features/rough-guides-reader-awards-2017-the-winners/ **Source: Scotland’s UNESCO sites are the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh; New Lanark; Heart of Neolithic Orkney; St Kilda; the Antonine Wall; and the Forth Rail Bridge. Celebrating Scottish Tourism has grown from the traditional week in March, to taking over the entire month and rightfully so with the incredible contribution the industry makes to Scotland.. Around 1 in 12 of our Registered Businesses are in tourism, employing more than 200,000 people and adding £6billion to the economy – that’s about 5% of the total. It means there are more development opportunities available in Scotland. The tourism sector was also worth £4.3 billion in direct expenditure from overnight visitors. Despite the criticism, the new scheme was welcomed by a number of bodies, including tourism agency VisitScotland, Scottish Financial Enterprise and the Robert Burns World Federation. This guidance is for the tourism and hospitality sectors in Scotland. Our cities are year-round destinations. TS2020 is industry-led, with progress being supported by the Scottish Tourism Alliance ( STA) [2] , and overseen by the Tourism Leadership Group ( TLG) [3] . It is an important element in the social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of Scotland. The latest annual data for Scotland are shown below. The tourism and hospitality industry is set to emerge … Visitors from “Other countries” including Australia, New Zealand, China and India accounted for 666,000 trips and £539 million spend, growing 4.0% and 9% respectively. The industry accounts for around one in every twelve jobs in Scotland, and around five per cent of the Scottish Economy’s Gross Value Added ( GVA). The ‘Cult of the Picturesque’ took off. Tourism secretary Fergus Ewing said the green light for accommodation and related businesses such as pubs and restaurants to reopen would be conditional on public health advice and the country moving on to phase three of the route map out of lockdown. Find European visitors increased 19%, with their expenditure reaching £1.1 billion, down 2% year on year. We have worked with industry and trade unions to ensure that this guidance is evidence-based, fair and ethical, clear and realistic. The TLG was formed in 2011 to bring together tourism leaders from the private and public sector to drive industry-wide collaboration and alignment. 15.5 million visitors were attracted to Scotland in 2018, with three and a half million people coming from overseas. As shown by the number of leading brands, the tourism industry in Scotland has experienced consistent growth, currently contributing £4.1 billion to the economy every year. 2017 was also another strong year for Scottish hotels, with RevPAR and occupancy levels having increased in the main cities across the country. Discover traditional food and drink in Scotland, including whisky and gin distilleries, award-winning restaurants, dining experiences and Scottish cuisine. Collectively, all of these statistics are painting a very positive picture of growth for the sector. It has four universities including the University of Edinburgh founded in 1583. We’re transforming the online experience for users & this site is currently under development. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our use of cookies. Visitor numbers to both Edinburgh Castle and the National Museum of Scotland reached record highs, each bringing more than two million people through their doors. The phrase declaring Scotland as "the best small country in the world" was launched in 2005 by the then Labour first minister Jack McConnell. Sir Walter Scott’s blockbuster poem The Lady of the Lake helped, back in 1810 – and visitors have been coming here ever since. While many new tourism projects are planned and in progress, demand currently outstrips supply. Edinburgh is the largest tourist destination in Scotland, and the second largest in the United Kingdom after London. The tourism industry is a cornerstone of the Scottish Economy, and vital to the economic performance of towns, cities and regions across the length and breadth of Scotland. It’s that time of year when travellers are about to descend on Scotland en masse. Destination On The Left. This buoyant picture is reflected by Scotland’s visitor attractions – the museums, historic houses, distilleries, science centres and animal parks. The Old and New Towns of the city constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Browse the latest tourism industry news, and visit our Media Centre for VisitScotland's latest press releases. Scotland … Discover the off-the-beaten-track beauty or chat with the locals over a whisky or three in the Highlands? All in the industry have been revelling in this wee chunk of the planet getting worldwide recognition as a must-visit, bucket-list, incomparable destination. Scotland's hotels, restaurants and pubs have been given new guidance as they prepare to reopen. Rebuilding Scotland’s tourism industry Scottish tourism is facing up to its biggest challenge ever with Coronavirus impacting the entire industry. It is expected that the recovery will take some time and many businesses will require significant support to restart their operations. Tourism plays a substantial role in Scotland's economy. 1.1. Spending by tourists is around 5% of GDP and the sector accounts for more than 7% of employment in Scotland. In the Trossachs, the visiting Romantic poets were charmed. 1.5. It plays an important role in the economies of Scotland’s major … Tourism contributes significantly to the Scottish economy and is vital to the economic performance and employment of towns, cities, regions and rural communities across the length and breadth of Scotland.