TOURISTS are beginning to resemble a pack of stealth ninjas.
In a remote spot you think you've got all to yourself, suddenly four or five youngsters appear, take a series of selfies and then head off. To where I do not know.
These are the Instagrammers – young adults who have been mesmerised by some of the world's most picturesque spots they have seen on social media. Now, it is their turn.
Scotland has undoubtedly done very well from the onset of Instagram. One of the most popular sites to photograph is the Fairy Pools on Skye, which look stunning on the app as the tumbling turquoise burn cascades over a series a waterfalls. It looks particularly spectacular on Instagram.
Almost overnight, the hidden gem became a global sensation as visitors flocked to the site to take their own pics and show their friends that they were there, before moving on.
But the harsh reality of sites such as the Fairy Pools is that they are not designed for mass tourism and are dangerous, particularly in bad weather and should not be tackled in shorts and flip flops. Just last month, two people had to be rescued after becoming stranded in rapids.
The problem with mass tourism at certain places is that what makes them special in the first place, their remoteness and beauty, is eroded by an influx of visitors.
Too many tourists can seriously damage such places. Visitor numbers can be controlled at historic buildings such as Eilean Donan castle, near Kyle of Lochalsh, but not at natural beauty spots which can become in danger of being overrun. Thai authorities have recently closed off Maya Beach to visitors as it was becoming damaged by too many tourists.
It would be a tragedy if Scotland had to do the same but a huge rise in visitor numbers as we have seen in recent years has major implications for infrastructure and for locals too, who find it increasingly difficult to get around.
VisitScotland has done a great job in using social media and other digital platforms to put the country in reach of a previously untapped market and has seen visitor numbers soar. Other media outlets such as Outlander have also driven up demand.
However it now begs the question: has Scotland reached its safe and manageable limit, or has it even surpassed it already?
Latest figures show that the combined number of domestic and overseas tourists in Scotland has increased by two per cent, taking the tally to 14.1 million visitors.
With a population of around 5.3 million it means there are now approximately two-and-a-half tourists for every resident in the country and is set to go even higher.
As more marketing initiatives are launched to attract yet more visitors, it is worth remembering the geological and historical gems that Scotland is famous for have been around for hundreds, thousands and even millions of years before social media and the digital age, so surely they deserve a little bit more respect.
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