Tourism in the Highlands and Islands
Tourism in the Highlands and Islands is a key driver of successful, productive and resilient businesses and strong, capable and resourceful communities. A sustainable tourism industry forms the basis of a thriving place, not only offering quality experiences for our visitors but for those who choose to live, work and study in our region.
The significance of tourism in the Highlands and Islands is greater than the rest of Scotland, representing up to 43% of employment in areas such as the Cairngorms National Park compared with 8% in Scotland overall. Tourism sustains some of our most remote and rural populations, providing essential employment opportunities and attracting investment.
Our region welcomed over 2.7m overnight visitors in 2018 and 14.6m day visitors from domestic markets. Recent figures indicate a continued rise in visitor volume, with domestic overnight figures up almost 8% in the early part of 2019. We recognise the need for continued investment in the tourism industry and infrastructure to ensure sustainable and managed growth. Our region’s reputation as a high-quality and exemplary destination must be protected and enhanced, as we keep pace with an increasingly competitive global tourism market.
As digital technology and the use of data evolves, we will work with the industry to innovate and integrate new ways of working to better understand, predict and exceed visitor expectations.
Our region’s businesses, communities and stakeholders will work together in collaboration around themes including marine and outdoor tourism to responsibly develop successful and sustainable tourism destinations, creating new products and offerings through investment in skills, infrastructure and partnerships.
