Argyll and the Islands - key sectors

The service sector is very important to the Argyll and the Islands economy. Public sector employment accounts for around a third of all jobs, reflecting the need to provide services to a dispersed population living mainly in relatively small settlements.

Overall, the service sector in Argyll and the Islands employed 83.2 per cent of the area's workforce (excluding the self-employed) in 2008, slightly higher than the Highlands and Islands rate (81 per cent) and Scotland (81.9 per cent).

Tourism is a vital industry. Almost 16 per cent of Argyll and the Islands employment in 2008 was in tourism-related sectors, compared with 8.9 per cent for Scotland as a whole.

Manufacturing accounted for 5.6 per cent of the area's employment, compared with 8.9 per cent in the Highlands and Islands and 8.7 per cent in Scotland. This proportion will be boosted by the success of HIE and the Scottish Government in attracting renewable energy manufacturer Skykon to Kintyre in 2010.

Life sciences is another sector which is growing in importance. The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) at Dunstaffnage, near Oban, has established a strong international reputation. HIE's ambitious plans for a new marine science park next to SAMS aim to grow the sector further.