Visit Scotland | Alba

Overview

  • Research and insight on tourism in Shetland is available from a range of different sources, including tourism monitors, national statistics, and commissioned research.
  • On this page, you will find key data for the area. There are also links to further information regarding a particular source or study. 
  • Key statistics on volume and value wil be updated in Spring 2025 as a result of the 2024 Islands Visitor Survey.

In this article:

1. Scotland Visitor Survey 2023

In 2023, we commissioned the Scotland Visitor Survey to gather insight on visitor attitudes and behaviours. The scope of the survey was leisure overnight visitors only.

The survey explores all aspects of the visitor experience in Scotland. Further information on the background, methodology, and key highlights from the survey is also available.

Browse Scotland Visitor Survey 2023.

The visitor survey also allows us to explore the experiences of visitors who stayed overnight in a specific area.

Overnight visitors to Shetland

67%

were domestic visitors

33%

were international visitors

86%

were repeat visitors

8%

were on a trip of a lifetime

Source: Scotland Visitor Survey 2023

Scotland Visitor Survey 2023 - Shetland

Published June 2024

Download (1,215Kb)

2. Shetland Way Feasibility Study 2022

The Shetland Way is a proposed long distance walking route. In 2022, a feasibility study was carried out by Stantec on behalf of VisitScotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Shetland Islands Council, NatureScot and Shetland Tourism Association.

The study involved case study reviews, stakeholder consultations and a survey of Shetland residents and past and potential visitor to Shetland.

Shetland Way feasibility study

Published April 2023

Find out more about the findings of a wide-ranging feasibility study carried out on the proposed Shetland Way long distance walking route.

Download (7Mb)

Shetland Way executive summary

Published April 2023

Read the executive summary on the findings of a wide-ranging feasibility study carried out on the proposed Shetland Way long distance walking route.

Download (2Mb)

3. Key statistics 2019

80 thousand

visits

£35.8 million

total spend

Figures taken from Shetland Islands Visitor Survey 2019

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