Press release -

They came, they saw, we prospered

VisitScotland Chairman Mike Cantlay responds to the release of the quarterly International Passenger Survey (IPS) tourism statistics by the UK Office of National Statistics (ONS) and the domestic tourism statistics derived from the Great Britain Tourism Survey.  He said:

“They say strength comes in numbers and with results like these, there is no denying Scotland’s tourism might.  It was our mission to welcome the world in 2014 and we did just that with an astounding number of people travelling to our shores to experience the unprecedented number of world-class events, the exceptional welcome from the Scottish people and of course our breath-taking landscapes which never cease to amaze.

“With the highest ever combined spend by domestic and overseas visitors in a decade, it is clear that the engagement and high profile of major global events such as the Commonwealth Games, Ryder Cup and MTV awards had a distinct impact last year.  Add to that a large number of new direct flight links into Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen from the Middle East, Europe, Canada and North America, as well as significant investment in tourism across Scotland and it is clear to see what we can achieve when we all work together. 

"The tourism industry rose to the occasion in every single region of the country and delivered on a remarkable scale.  We are grateful to every business and individual for their part in achieving this success – they have helped to build Scotland’s reputation for its warmth of welcome, quality experience and excellent value for money.

“The distinct rise in overseas visitors is extraordinary and with the biggest number of North American visitors in over a decade, it is clear to see that our Homecoming year reached out to the diaspora stateside, alongside the other significant events of 2014.

“2014 was amazing, but it is just the beginning, not the end. We must now reposition ourselves for the second part of this decade, build on momentum and ensure the right investment is made at the right time.  Marketing Scotland has never been more important and VisitScotland continues to invest in key markets to bring visitors to the country – with significant returns on the money we invest.”

“We have great credentials, but we need to keep reinforcing to the world what Scotland is about and how important it is to visit and invest here.  With a number of world class events planned in 2015 including the Turner Prize and World Gymnastics Championships; the opening of the first domestic railway in the UK for over a century – the Borders Railway; and continued development of new hotels, attractions, projects and air routes, this is a truly remarkable time of opportunity for Scotland.”


ENDS


KEY FACTS


QUARTER 4 ONLY (Oct-Dec) 2014)

Quarter 4 (Oct - Dec 2014) - Overseas visitors
Overseas visits have increased: +5%
Overseas spend has increased:  +17% 

Quarter 4 (Oct - Dec 2014) - Domestic visitors
Domestic visits have increased:  +28%
Domestic spend has stayed the same (0%)

Quarter 4 (Oct – Dec 2014) - Combined domestic and overseas visitors
Combined overseas and domestic visits have increased: +25 %
Combined overseas and domestic spend has increased: +5 %


FULL 2014 STATISTICS - SCOTLAND

Year to date (Jan – Dec 2014) - Overseas visitors
Overseas visits have increased:  +11%
Overseas spend has increased:  +10%

Year to date (Jan – Dec 2014) - Domestic visitors
Domestic visits have increased:  +3%
Domestic spend has stayed the same (-0.6%)

Year to date (Jan – Dec 2014) - Combined domestic and overseas visitors
Combined overseas and domestic visits have increased: +5%
Combined overseas and domestic spend has increased: +3%


THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN TOURISM SPEND BETWEEN 2005 and 2014

The percentage increase in tourism spend between 2005 and 2014 is 16%

Nominal (inc Inflation) 2005 (£m) 2014  (£m) % Growth (2005-2015)
Domestic 2856 2871 0.5%
International 1208 1840 52.3%
Total 4064 4711 15.9%
Sources: IPS / GBTS

Topics

  • Tourism

Categories

  • corporate communications

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:
    1. To market Scotland to all parts of the world to attract visitors
    2. To provide information – and inspiration – to visitors and potential visitors so they get the best out of a visit to Scotland
    3. 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.
  • According to a recent Deloitte study, the tourism economy supports 270,000 jobs in Scotland in 20,000 diverse businesses. The same study calculates that the tourism economy 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

Year of Food and Drink 2015

  • 2015 is the Year of Food and Drink, a celebration of Scotland’s natural larder and the role that food and drink plays in shaping our economic success.
  • Scotland generates over £2.5m per day through food and drink tourism.
  • A series of themed months will create an appetite for key areas of Scotland’s food and drink industries – from seafood and whisky to berries and high-quality meat
  • For more information, visit www.visitscotland.com/tastescotland

Contacts

Chelsea Charles

Press contact Scotland’s Themed Years Communications & Engagement Manager Contact for media enquiries on: Scotland’s Themed Years (i.e. 2018 Year of Young People; 2020 Year of Scotland's Coast and Waters; 2022 Year of Scotland's Stories) 0131 472 2067

Carrie MacWilliam

Press contact Senior Corporate Press Officer - National Contact for media enquiries on: Travel media (Scotland); Year of Young People; UK Marketing; Dundee; Fife; Angus; Perthshire 0131 472 2052

Amelia Whittaker

Press contact Senior Corporate Press Officer - Regional Contact for media enquiries on: South Region; Edinburgh and Lothians; Food and Drink; Scottish Thistle Awards 01750 723806

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