VisitScotland Chief Executive: “It has been a pleasure and an honour to welcome the world in 2014.”

VisitScotland Chief Executive, Malcolm Roughead 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:

“2014 is the year that we predicted that Scotland would welcome the world and with a significant increase in overseas visitors, it seems we have done just that! 

“Homecoming Scotland has had a significant impact on tourism. With record attendances at hundreds of events across the country, we have been able to make a concerted effort to reach out to the diaspora and the many visitors overseas who feel they have a connection to Scotland through ancestry, history and culture.  This can be seen specifically with the huge rise in North American guests, one of our strongest ancestral markets.  From Bannockburn Live to Whisky Month, visitors turned out in their thousands and it has been a pleasure and an honour to welcome them all.

Since 2012, development efforts have delivered over 80 new routes to Scottish airports. Exciting new routes in 2014 include Chicago, Philadelphia and Doha, with more announced for 2015. In the last year alone, major inbound routes will have delivered literally hundreds of thousands of additional seats bringing visitors to Scotland.  

This year has taken Scotland’s profile and reputation to great heights and we are determined to make the most of this for the future.  As we head into the 2015 Year of Food and Drink and beyond, we will look to develop and build on all we have achieved. It is our turn to get out there and take Scotland to the world and ensure every single corner of the globe has heard of all we have to offer from innovative venues and hotels to breathtaking scenery and adventurous opportunities. I have no doubt that that warm Scottish welcome on which we pride ourselves will continue to just get bigger and bolder!”

KEY FACTS

ROLLING YEAR STATISTICS (July 2013 – Jun2014)

Rolling year (July 2013 – June 2014 – Overseas Visitors)

Overseas visits have increased:  18%

Overseas spend has increased:  13%

Rolling Year (July 2013 – June 2014) – Domestic Visitors

Domestic visits have decreased:  7%

Domestic spend has stayed the same: 0% 

Rolling Year (July 2013 – June 2014) – Combined Overseas and Domestic

Combined overseas and domestic visits have decreased: 4%

Combined overseas and domestic spend has increased: 4%

QUARTER 2 ONLY (Apr –June 2014)

Quarter 2 (April – June 2014) - Overseas visitors

Overseas visits have increased:  16.9%

Overseas spend has stayed the same:  0%

Quarter 2 (April – June 2014) - Domestic visitors

Domestic visits have increased:  0.44%

Domestic spend has increased:  0.78%

Quarter 2 (Oct – Dec 2013) - Combined domestic and overseas visitors

Combined overseas and domestic visits have increased: 3.2%

Combined overseas and domestic spend  increased: 0.5%

YEAR TO DATE (Jan- June 2014)

Year to date (Jan – June 2014) - Overseas visitors

Overseas visits have increased:  16.2%

Overseas spend has decreased:  7.3%

Year to date (Jan – June 2014) - Domestic visitors

Domestic visits have decreased:  3.9%

Domestic spend has decreased:  1.2%

Year to date (Jan – June 2014) - Combined domestic and overseas visitors

Combined overseas and domestic visits have decreased: 0.9%

Combined overseas and domestic spend has decreased: 3.3%

ENDS

For further information contact: 

Kate Turnbull, Corporate Press Manager

Tel: 0131 472 2324 / Kate.turnbull@visitscotland.com

Out of hours media enquiries: 07699 766986