An ambitious project is underway to place Orkney at the forefront of genealogy tourism.

Tracing family trees is now thought to be the world's fastest growing hobby and Orkney Tourist Board is aiming to provide a sophisticated website that will help people seeking their roots in the islands.

Orkney Enterprise is backing the initiative, recognising its potential to boost a form of tourism that already attracts many visitors to Orkney.

Barbara Foulkes, the tourist board's chief executive, said clear evidence of international interest in tracing family histories in the islands had been provided during the Orkney Homecoming.

The event attracted up to 300 Canadians of Orcadian ancestry, who made a special visit to Orkney.

Barbara Foulkes said: "It demonstrated the huge potential for developing genealogy tourism across the islands.  We believe the website, and other activities we have planned, offer a tremendous opportunity to market Orkney worldwide.

"Genealogy tourism is being seen in other parts of Scotland as a key area for growth and we want to make sure that Orkney is leading the way in helping people who want to trace their family connections."

Countries like Canada and New Zealand, where many Orcadians settled in the past, will be specifically targeted as part of the marketing drive. Australia and the United States are also seen as important markets.

Orkney Enterprise development manager Maureen Shearer said: "There are so many people around the world who are keen to discover if their roots lie in the islands.

"We want to encourage them to take that extra step and visit Orkney to carry out the research into their family trees."

She added that the venture would be supported through the Orkney Marketing Scheme, which is financed by Orkney Islands Council, the Local Enterprise Company and the European Regional Development Fund.

The tourist board engaged the services of Cameron Taylor, from Seabridge Consultants, to assess the potential for developing genealogy tourism across Orkney.

He said the rapid expansion of the internet and of email as a communication tool had fuelled the development of genealogy, turning it into what is believed to be the fastest growing hobby in the world.

Cameron Taylor said: "Around 20 per cent of visitors from the United States are now travelling to Scotland to investigate their family connections."

Across Scotland, between eight and nine per cent of inquiries by post, phone and email to tourist information centre staff are connected to family history research but in Orkney, the figure is estimated to be far higher, at between 20 and 25 per cent.

Cameron Taylor continued: "The development of genealogy tourism offers a tremendous opportunity for Scotland as a whole.

"It can no longer be seen simply as a niche market and there is enormous potential for Orkney to develop a very distinctive form of genealogy tourism based around the unique history and heritage of the islands.

"The living family connections to be found across Orkney, and the strong sense of place that make the islands so appealing to visitors, are wonderful assets when it comes to attracting people with a keen interest in the lives of their ancestors.

"The Internet will be vital in getting that message across.  What is needed is a distinctive, interesting and high quality website."