TOURISM in Scotland could create almost 60,000 jobs and generate more than £23 billion for the Scottish economy by 2025, a report says.
Accountancy firm Deloitte has estimated Scotland's tourism economy will grow 53.4% in real terms over the next 12 years, much faster than sectors such as manufacturing, construction and retail.
The forecast means the Scottish tourism industry would be worth more than £23.1 billion by 2025 and support 350,000 jobs - up from just over 290,000 this year.
It comes as Olympic gold-medallist Sir Chris Hoy and violinist Nicola Benedetti were unveiled as the faces of a new £5.3m VisitScotland marketing campaign to attract more tourists to Scotland.
Scotland is preparing for a bumper year in tourism in 2014 as it plays host to golf's Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, the Commonwealth Games and MTV Europe Music Awards in Glasgow, and Homecoming Scotland.
Mike Cantlay, chairman of VisitScotland, the national tourism body, said: "Tourism is a cornerstone of Scottish industry and is vitally important to the ongoing stabilisation of the economy. I am delighted to see the importance being placed on tourism, highlighting the fundamental role it has in job creation, economy growth and putting Scotland firmly on the front foot."
The Deloitte report, Tourism: Jobs And Growth, was commissioned by VisitBritain. It found tourism has been the fastest growing sector in the UK in employment terms, responsible for one third of the net increase in UK jobs between 2010 and 2012.
Deloitte added that if Britain was to become as successful as its European competitors in new growth markets such as China it could increase the value of inbound tourism by an additional £12bn by 2025, to £69bn.
Christopher Rodrigues, chairman of VisitBritain, added: "Scotland has so much to offer international guests. Edinburgh is a major draw for international visitors and regularly appears on destination wish-lists along with Glasgow and the Highlands."
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