2. Executive Summary
Views on tourism
- There is an agreement amongst residents that the tourism industry is important for Scotland. 94% of respondents said they view the industry positively.
- The wide-ranging role of tourism to Scotland was recognised by the residents we surveyed.
Positives and Negatives
- The top-of-mind benefits about the industry were:
- the economic benefits
- the opportunity to showcase the beauty of Scotland
- employment opportunities
- The top-of-mind negatives associated with tourism were:
- Overcrowding
- increased litter
- a negative carbon footprint / impact on climate change
Perceptions on Local Area
- Around a third of Scotland residents feel that the area they live in is undoubtedly a holiday or short break destination (32%). 33% feel their area is visited for holidays and short breaks by some people.
- For those living in tourism areas, 84% agree that locally tourism supports jobs in food, retail and other sectors. 51% feel it adds to the amount of traffic on the roads and results in congestion and delays.
Recovery from Covid-19
- 87% of those living in tourist areas believe that tourism will aid recovery of their local area from the Covid-19 pandemic.