Scotland set for staycation boom due to the pandemic

Scotland is set for a tourism boom after ranking fourth place in the current most popular UK holiday destinations, according to a report.

VisitBritain reported ten per cent of Brits were planning a staycation north of the border – however south west England was the most desirable place for a getaway.

Holidaymakers will be seeking ’emotional fulfilment’ and a trip which moves away from mass consumerism, it is anticipated.

Proximity to both cities and rural areas were deemed to be particularly desirable with a plethora of options in Scotland including the Loch Lomond area.

But the West Country topped the list for both spring and summer with around a quarter of people – 26 per cent for spring and 24 per cent for summer – planning on visiting.

Coastal towns ranked top for springtime trips, ahead of the countryside or a village.

Chris Greenwood, VisitScotland’s senior tourism insight manager, said: “Travellers do want value for money, but that does not mean cheap.

“You could be in a five-star establishment but the service wasn’t great and that wouldn’t be good value for money, or you could upgrade your chosen accommodation to premium and it could well be worth spending that bit more.

“I don’t think it is a case of urban areas or the country’s cities not being part of this.

“Scottish cities benefit from this trend due to their close proximity to accessible coastal and rural areas.

“Glasgow’s access to Loch Lomond National Park, Edinburgh’s access to East Lothian, Fife and Borders. Perth, Stirling and Inverness all make them excellent hubs but with access to the rural/coastal idyll visitors are seeking.”

The report also found that there are further signs of recovery in the tourism industry, with findings that almost half of adults anticipate taking more overnight domestic trips between now and the end of the year.

Mr Greenwood added: “There is an opportunity for operators to see gains in going for the personalisation trend, offering products and services tailored specifically to customers’ needs, giving them something unique and special.

“If you can offer a unique experience such as restaurant-quality food options at self-catering, or working with local providers while offering a luxe product that is a shift from high volume consumerism, which is unsustainable to higher-value purchases.

“The value will be coming from emotional fulfilment and cost, proportionate to affordability.”