Who? Why? Where? When? The more we know about our Global visitors the better we can win them over

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Knowing our markets... Scotlands visitors

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A strong product, excellent value and good customer service are the core foundation of any tourism business.

Tourism markets may be ever-changing, but the principles always stay the same. A strong product, excellent value and good customer service are the core foundation of any tourism business.

According to Mintel figures dating back to 2006, the total number of holidays and the amount spent on them reached its lowest point in 2010, as domestic trips decreased from a 2009 high and overseas holidays continued to drop. By 2012, the number of holidays taken abroad has actually fallen by a fifth since the last peak in 2008.

And that's not all. With fast advancements in technology, a saturation of user-generated information, and the impact of online booking, visitors are becoming more savvy than ever and competition to attract them is only increasing.

The guide has been produced using a wide range of industry intelligence; both formal research from VisitScotland, VisitBritain, ABTA and others; and a selection of industry and news reports.

The statistics used in this guide generally relate to all trips made in Scotland by both business and leisure visitors, but in Knowing our markets we are focusing on the leisure visitor. As the trends and information presented in the guide are rapidly changing, it should be used in conjunction with several online resources (indicated throughout the guide) that will present the most up-to-date intelligence.

Domestic holidays are on the rise, roughly four in five people are taking one or more breaks in the UK

Volume and value

According to Scotland ??? The Key Facts on Tourism in 2010 by VisitScotland, almost 15 million overnight tourism trips were taken in Scotland in 2010, for which visitor expenditure totalled over ??4 billion. The months of July to September are the most popular for holidays in Scotland amongst both UK and overseas visitors.

Average length of stay

The average length of a trip by our overseas visitors is around nine nights. Trips by UK visitors tend to be shorter, on average around three nights for people from within Scotland and around four nights for people from the rest of the UK.

Top markets by number of visitors and visitor spend

Scottish visitors make up the largest proportion of visitors, but those from England actually incur a slightly higher spend, probably due to the additional accommodation and travel spend. 16 per cent of visitors are from overseas with the largest proportions from USA, Germany, and France.

The statistics used in this guide generally relate to all trips made in Scotland by both business and leisure visitors, but in Knowing our markets we are focusing on the leisure visitor.

As the trends and information presented in the guide are rapidly changing, it should be used in conjunction with several online resources (indicated throughout the guide) that will present the most up-to-date intelligence.

Want a printed version of the guide?

Please email info@tourism-intelligence.co.uk or call us on 0845 601 2454.

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