While the outlook for Scottish tourism is relatively rosy, there remains a split between the fortunes of urban and rural businesses.

"There is always this dichotomy between city tourism and rural tourism," said Tony Harrison of the Moffat Centre for Travel and Tourism Business Development at Glasgow Caledonian University.

He added: "A key factor is access and transport links – rural tourism always comes off second best. So no matter what the level of tourism, the central belt and the cities are going to benefit more than the rural areas, just because of their location."

While the Scottish scenery is a big draw, destinations are built on attractions and access.

Mr Harrison said: "A lot of the cultural attractions are in the cities and the major exhibitions which are going to attract overseas and domestic visitors are in cities. We've had some major refurbishments recently, with Stirling Castle, the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh and the Riverside Museum and Kelvingrove in Glasgow, so you are talking multi-million pounds of development in the cities.

"The rural areas have a legitimate concern, if you take the money which has been invested in the cities in these large museums. They are internationally renowned and the idea is that they put Scotland on the map and once the visitors come we need to get them out into rural areas and that isn't happening."

While some rural areas have been developing adrenaline activities most of these businesses are still at fledgling level. Mr Harrison believes it will take years, if not decades, to establish these. However, he hopes they can evolve in the way Scottish hospitality has.

"If you look at tourism in rural areas of Scotland 20 years ago and compare it with now, it has transformed, particularly the quality of food," he said.

"Food was a big problem in Scottish tourism 20 years ago. It has come on leaps and bounds.

"Staycations are definitely an opportunity for rural operators. Around 85% of our visitors are from the UK. Attracting overseas visitors is a sexy thing but the mainstay of the tourism industry in Scotland is Scots and English."

Calum Macnee, general manager of Rabbie's Small Group tours, is based in Edinburgh but works with rural tourism businesses around Scotland.

He said: "I have heard some of the rural areas are struggling. A lot of the business rural Scotland gets is from Scotland or England and it's people in their own cars touring about. Whereas we are going to be bringing more people to the Highlands and Islands than we did last year, there will be a lot of other businesses in a bit of a dip.

"Generally speaking tourism has been in a bit of a boom in these last four or five years in Scotland. What we are looking at now is growth not continuing at the same pace or for some, seeing a contraction. In certain parts of the country people are feeling the pinch."

Mr Macnee believes there are many factors at play, including recent fuel price rises. "In rural areas, it just adds to the cost of everything."