A POSTCARD from Scotland. There we were, sitting on the milky sands watching a seal watching us. The only sounds to rival the occasional turning of a page were the cries of oystercatchers and the soft whoosh of the sea. A beach all to ourselves. Living like billionaires for a few bawbees. You will not find a deal on Amazon to match this, Mr Bezos. Necker Island? Maybe next time, maybe never, Mr Branson.

Spoke too soon. Voices in the distance, getting closer. There goes the private beach. Funny how quickly you become accustomed to luxury. Yet after a cheery hello the cyclists moved past us, keen for their own piece of paradise, which they found a short distance away. There was enough heaven on earth to go around after all. Such is Scotland.

Not for everyone, however. Figures out last week showed that 2017 was a record year for tourism in Scotland, with 3.2 million visitors coming from overseas, up 17%. Between them they spent £2.3 billion, an increase of 23%.

Yet the same year may in time come to be seen as a crunch point, the moment when alarming creaks and groans began to be heard from down below on the good ship Scottish Tourism. While the country has never been more successful in attracting visitors, it is not certain the old engines can take any more. All of this even before the Edinburgh festivals start and the annual moaning begins, in some quarters, about too many tourists.

Last year, a clear sign that all was not well came from Skye. Overcrowding at popular spots led to coverage round the world telling of parking chaos, ruined and soiled verges, soaring hotel prices, irate residents and visitors alike. Not the sort of publicity VisitScotland, the national tourist body, courts. Was this a little local difficulty or a sign of things to come?

This year, it is holiday home owners across Scotland who are in the dock, accused of pricing locals out of the housing market and generally contributing to the decline of communities. As The Herald reported yesterday, Scottish Green MSP Andy Wightman wants a change in the law so that full planning permission will be required before a property can be converted to a holiday home or short-term let. At the moment, the spread is uncontrolled. In cities, Edinburgh in particular, the number of Airbnb properties continues to mushroom. Nothing makes for a long hot summer of discontent between neighbours than strangers coming and going and treating the place like, well, a hotel.

Elsewhere, those mega-hotels on the water known as cruise ships, are calling at an increasing number of places. With the every need of visitors catered for on board, how much are day trippers spending ashore? A significant sum or just a penny?

VisitScotland has itself acknowledged that a balance must be struck between the needs of locals and the demands of tourism. In a paper identifying trends for 2018, the organisation declares that Scotland is a famously welcoming country. But look at what comes next: “Losing the support of those who are lucky enough to live in or around our popular tourist destinations could change the perception of Scotland as a friendly nation.”

What is going on out there, away from the deserted beaches, great food, warm welcomes and other goodies many of us enjoy? It would seem odd, and peculiarly Scottish, to encounter the gift horse of record tourist numbers and demand to examine its gnashers, but it is best to catch these things early on.

In some areas, for example, there are not enough facilities for locals never mind visitors. Should councils wait for more visitors, and more money to come in, before building toilets or repairing roads, or make an upfront investment in the hope it pays off?

The Scottish Government could assist more, but as with anything involving money, councils and the centre are at odds. Witness the way the Culture Minister, Fiona Hyslop, reacted when the SNP leader of Edinburgh Council raised the idea of a £1 tourist tax being charged from 2019, with the resulting £11 million going towards local services. Adam McVey had no sooner pressed “tweet” than the Minister replied: “? ? ? So let’s be clear – you have no shared plans, no tourist business consultation and no agreement with the Scottish Gov.” In other words, you’ll have had your tourist tax, Mr McVey.

One cannot blame the Scottish Government for taking the bigger picture view of tourism, or the tourist authorities for trying to attract ever greater numbers of visitors. A lot of livelihoods depend on tourism. With a world class product to sell, why not encourage the world to visit? That has been the tactic of VisitScotland in recent years. On the back of the global success of the television programme Outlander, for example, it has teamed up with various internet travel sites to spread the word. It has had some success judging by the visitor numbers, though a weak pound and better transport links have likely helped more.

What is needed now is to finesse the message sent out about Scotland. Steer tourists away from a “top ten must see sites” mentality and market places that are less well known. Relieve the pressure in certain parts with more cash from central government. Keep ahead of the game, too. Successful tourism strategies need to look decades ahead.

Perhaps the greatest shift needed is in the attitudes of Scots towards tourism. We need to treat tourism like a business first and foremost. Like any business, it has to be well managed. At times, Scots are guilty of believing our own hype. We buy into romantic notions of our country just as much, sometimes more, than any starry-eyed tourist. Look at that view. Drink in that local hospitality. Is this not enough for anyone? Well, no, it is not. A good business, moreover, makes sure everyone feel they have a stake, communities as much as tourists.

Scotland needs tourists. Scotland likes and wants tourists, and for them to keep coming back. But if we do not manage the business better now we might ruin it for generations to come. An empty beach is a magnificent thing; not so a country empty of guests.