Scotland's holiday market may be flourishing with the country�s welcoming approach to visitors, but those in charge of developing the country as a key destination claim that more needs to be done to meet tough targets on tourist spending.
BRIAN DONNELLY and CHRIS WATT
Scotland's holiday market may be flourishing with the country's welcoming approach to visitors, but those in charge of developing the country as a key destination claim that more needs to be done to meet tough targets on tourist spending.
While early figures show an encouraging increase in visitor numbers particularly from the US, tourism chiefs said the overall annual picture is not expected to be so favourable.
Visitscotland, the tourism marketing body, has already admitted that reaching the benchmark of increasing revenue from visitors by 50% over 10 years to 2015 would be a difficult challenge.
Many leading attractions such as Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow and the National Galleries in Edinburgh are largely free apart from specific international exhibitions.
And it is feared by the end of this year US visitor figures to Scotland would be hit as Americans struggle with their own credit crunch.
Scottish Tourism Forum chief executive Iain Herbert said: "The American market previously sat at around 7% of our own Scottish tourism market but we can expect a lower level this year.
"We are looking at a tough couple of years."
He said of the wider outlook: "The traditional European destinations for Scots travelling abroad are no longer as cheap as previously enjoyed.
"This means holidaying at home - approximately 80% of our tourism is domestic - becomes a more attractive option.
"We must, however, recognise that the levels of disposable income domestic tourists have is under pressure and this may see reductions in possible second or third holidays, which wi ll be under threat.
"The high level of Euro conversely works in our favour to attract more Europeans to Scotland and this should be actively pursued.
"We are seeing our tourism businesses adjusting their marketing spend to focus more on the domestic and European markets."
Despite concerns, the strength of the appeal of Scotland was seen in Edinburgh yesterday.
Joseph and Joanne Campo, of Hartsdale, New York state, who said they are both "facing 60 years old", have fallen in love with this country.
Episcopalian priest Mr Campo said: "I stayed here briefly 36 years ago on my way to Inverness, and always wanted to come back.
"So for our 10th wedding anniversary I am here with Joanne. We love it."
Mrs Campo added: "The people are lovely and we have found Edinburgh friendly and usable'."
Angela and Greg McDonall, of Dover, Delaware, said they have tried to come to Scotland every year since they first visited in 1996.
Mrs McDonall said: "We didn't come last year because our daughter was due to give birth to our first grandchild.
"But we are back this year and we'll be back next. We have stayed in Perthshire and around Edinburgh and it's great."
But there have been concerns throughout the tourism community recently, according to business leaders.
The Scottish Chambers of Commerce said that more than 60% of tourism businesses reported lower levels of business confidence in the second quarter of last year.
A spokesman said: "The current declining trend in business confidence emerged in the last quarter of 2007, but the decline more than doubled in the second quarter of 2008. The trends in visitor demand are the lowest for five years."
While 21% reported increased demand for accommodation, 10% increased numbers in restaurants and 14% increased demand for function/conference facilities, the net trends were negative.
Average occupancy at 67% was lower than in the second quarters of 2004-2007.
Overall 44% of business in the second quarter was tourist trade, 27.7% local trade, and 2.3% business trade, the SCC said.
However, three in every four tourist businesses that responded to the SCC survery were planning to recruit staff - indicating that there was still strength in the market.
