Scotland's world-leading NC500 tourist trail is five years old. Sandra Dick reflects on five years of success.
The majestic scenery should easily sell itself – rolling mountains, sandy beaches fringed by rocky cliffs, historic castles, eerie plains and isolated villages.
Yet for years, Scotland’s northern coastline was either simply too far away, too much trouble to reach, with apparently nothing to do and just not well enough known about for many tourists to bother with.
That, of course, was before the arrival of Scotland’s biggest tourism phenomenon, a simple but devastatingly effective marketing masterstroke which has brought an unprecedented visitor boom to some of the nation’s most remote nooks and crannies.
Launched in 2015 in the hope it might boost Scotland’s struggling northerly communities, the North Coast 500 has raced past the likes of America’s Route 66 to be regularly named among the world’s greatest road trips and a bucket list “must do” for people around the world.
Five years on, what began as a hopeful plan to throw a spotlight on Scotland’s lesser visited northern coast has put small communities, rollercoaster single-track roads, once almost deserted campsites, restaurants and hotels on the tourist map almost all year round.
Now, with international tourism in tatters and the thoughts of many turning to when lockdown might be eased, there is every likelihood more Scots than ever before may well follow the lead of tens of thousands of visitors who have already explored the 516-mile route.
Tom Campbell, Chairman of NC500 and who came up with the idea of a north coast touring route, says the “seismic change” in how Scots and other UK nations holiday as a result of Covid-19 could result in a staycation boom, helping to ensure the success of the NC500 and businesses along the route continues through difficult times.
“Airline holidays are going to be more expensive if they are even possible,” he says. “I think we’ll see more UK visitors heading to Scotland and driving will be the way people will want to take their holidays.
“The NC500 is ideally suited to that. The open spaces, the fresh air and all the things that make the route special haven’t changed – the seascapes are still there, the landscape is still amazing, the food from sea and land, and the infrastructure is still there.
“Covid-19 has meant we have had to hit the pause button, but all the reasons that made NC500 the number one route in the world have not changed.”
The NC500 winds its way north from Inverness to Dornoch, Wick and Dunnet Head, traversing the roof of Scotland before twisting and turning its way along the west coast and crossing back to its starting point.
Travellers could simply plot their own course around the route’s scenic attractions, but many opt to become paid-up members of the NC500 travel “club”, giving them precious access to inside information and advice to make their experience more enjoyable.
An overwhelming number of tourists who complete the route give it a giant “thumbs up” – 99% according to the route’s 2019 visitor survey. What began as an initiative to bring some fresh opportunities to the area was last year estimated to have boosted the economy by £22.89 million and created around 179 full-time jobs.
For businesses, travellers in their cars, campervans, motorbikes and even cycles have brought unexpected prosperity. Room occupancy for hotels and bed and breakfasts has soared from around 52% to around 80% – in some places even higher – with room rates almost doubling in price. Attractions from distilleries to museums, restaurants, shops, campsites and castles have all reported giant leaps in visitor numbers.
Yet, as Campbell points out, the route’s incredible success wasn’t entirely expected. “We launched in May 2015 with a spring in our step – we had an audience reach of 900,00 at that point. By 2019, that audience had grown to 5.5 billion,” he adds.
Along the way have been key moments that have embedded the route into the minds of prospective tourists around the world. “Not for a minute did I imagine that Aston Martin would one day approach us and ask if they could create a new DB11 limited edition around the NC500,” adds Campbell.
“Or that Jeremy Clarkson would describe it as ‘the best route in the world’ and that the journey from Ullapool to Gairloch’s scenery was so spectacular that
The Melvich Hotel by Thurso has been a spot for travellers to rest since the 1850s.
But, like many businesses along its 516-mile route, the launch of the NC500 five years ago has transformed it from what had been a far-flung destination for a few hardy travellers.
“It used to be we got older couples with time and money to spend on travelling,” says Jo Wyke, who runs the hotel with husband, Robert.
“The NC500 has breathed new life into the area, people are realising there is a lot to do and we’re seeing different kinds of visitors, people looking for adventure, surfers, people who want outdoor sports.
“We were getting people from all the world, and starting to see visitors from India, the Far East, China, Russia and Latin American countries.
“The last couple of years have been record-breakers for us which is down to the NC500.”
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