Press release -
Home sweet motorhome!
VisitScotland has welcomed a new survey which reveals that the Scottish Highlands is the number one destination in the UK for those gearing up for a motorhome holiday.
Of the 5,337 UK based motorhome owners who responded to the survey by Club Care Insurance, just over one in five (21%) chose the dramatic Scottish Highlands as their favourite UK holiday destination. The region proved the most popular choice by some distance with Cornwall in second place (12%) and the Lake District in third (11%).
On average in the last five years, UK resident visitors in motorised caravans, campers and dormobiles have taken 135,000 trips, stayed for 4.4 nights and spent £23 million each year in Scotland.
The survey by Club Care Insurance, who offer insurance for campers, caravanners and motorhome owners, aimed to find out more about buying habits and holiday preferences.
Scotland is home to twelve National Tourist Routes that take people away from the main trunk roads and motorways to discover Scotland’s beautiful and diverse landscapes, towns and villages and boasts a number of great things to see and do along the way.
Scott Armstrong, Regional Partnerships Director for VisitScotland said:
“To be such a clear favourite amongst motorhome owners is wonderful news for the Highlands. With its ancient landscapes and fascinating history, the region is an incredible destination for any holiday, whether they come by motorhome, rail or bicycle.
“Visitors can witness the amazing wildlife and take part in some thrilling outdoor pursuits, while also exploring the many mountains and glens, the stunning islands and stretches of coastline, and follow the country's only Malt Whisky Trail.
“As Scotland welcomes the world in 2014 for the Commonwealth Games, over 850 Homecoming events and the Ryder Cup, I would encourage everyone to get out there and uncover the beauty of the Highlands and beyond.”
Nigel Coppen from Club Care Insurance said:
“The Scottish Highlands are a beautiful place in the UK, so it's no surprise to us that it was chosen by motorhome owners as their favourite UK holiday destination.”
Nairn Beach in the Highlands was recently crowned the UK’s tenth best in TripAdvisor’s annual Travellers’ Choice Awards for Beaches, while Camusdarach Beach in Arisaig was voted thirteenth. A number of beaches in the region, including Shandwick Bay, Achmelvich Bay and Sango Sands were also announced as winners in the recent 2014 Scottish Seaside Awards.
-ENDS-
For further information contact:
Jack Gorman
Corporate Press Officer
Tel: 0131 472 2283
jack.gorman@visitscotland.com
Out of hours media enquiries: 07699 766986
Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- corporate communications
- uk & ireland marketing
Regions
- Scotland
Notes to Editors:
- Follow us on twitter: @visitscotnews
- VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland.
- The organisation has three key roles:
- To market Scotland to all parts of the world to attract visitors
- To provide information – and inspiration – to visitors and potential visitors so they get the best out of a visit to Scotland
- To provide quality assurance to visitors and quality advice to the industry and partners to help the industry meet and strive to exceed customer expectations
- VisitScotland works together with tourism businesses to make tourism a success for everyone and ensure the industry continues to grow.
- The organisation employs 700 people and has offices and VisitScotland Information Centres across Scotland.
- 2014 is the year Scotland welcomes the world, when it hosts the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles and more than 800 Homecoming events throughout the country.For more information on Homecoming Scotland 2014, go to www.visitscotland.com
- The VisitScotland Information Centre network is a unique face-to-face channel engaging with around five million visitors and locals each year. Everyone who uses a VisitScotland Information Centre goes on to spend an additional £5.35, generating over £24 million for Scotland’s economy.
- According to a recent Deloitte study, tourism employs 270,000 people in Scotland in 20,000 diverse businesses. The same study calculates that the industry contributes £11 billion annually (direct and indirect impact, including day visits) and supports around 10 per cent of employment in Scotland. Almost 16 million tourists take overnight trips to Scotland.
- For VisitScotland’s press releases go to http://www.visitscotland.org/media_centre.aspx, tourism statistics and frequently asked questions go to http://www.visitscotland.org/
- Where possible, a Gaelic speaker will be made available for broadcast interviews on request (Far an tèid iarraidh, agus far am bheil sin nar comas, bruidhinnidh neach le Gàidhlig aig agallamh)
- For holiday information on Scotland go to www.visitscotland.com
- For information about business tourism in Scotland go to www.conventionscotland.com
- For more information on VisitScotland’s annual review please go to www.visitscotland.org/about_us/our_focus/annual_report.aspx
