Scottish tourism will survive independence...survey result

TOURISM consultancy Dunira Strategy has published the results of a survey which shows that fears of a drop in Scottish tourism in the event of Scottish independence are unfounded.

Conducted across the British Isles, respondents were asked a single question: “Thinking about Scotland as a tourism destination, if it became an independent country, would this affect your decision to go there?” The vast majority (85 percent) said that “it would make no difference”.

England is Scotland’s most important market. In 2012, it generated six million visits and £1.7 billion in direct expenditure, spending an average of £281 per person per trip. Visitors from England are 40 percent of Scotland’s tourism market by volume and 39 percent by value. It is therefore vitally important to understand whether independence represents a threat to Scottish tourism.

Said Dunira Strategy’s Managing Director Benjamin Carey: ‘A number of commentators have argued that independence could jeopardise growth in the UK staycation market, which is a key component in the recovery of Scottish tourism following the economic crisis. This survey shows that these fears are unfounded.’

Go Holiday editor David Kernek writes: The notion that the Scottish tourism industry would fall apart if the country were to be independent is the latest scare story churned out by those who appear to believe – quite wrongly in my opinion – that a Yes vote would signal the end of British (or English) civilization as we know it.

The Scots are being told that if they opt for independence, big companies would decamp to England, they’d be chucked out of the European Union (that might be a blessing!), and they wouldn’t be able to use the English £. Now they’re being warned that the English, Welsh and Irish wouldn’t want to have holidays there.

What nonsense this is. Who rejects the idea of a holiday in the United States because it had the temerity to exit from the British Empire? Who says they won’t go to France or Greece because they are run by a foreign governments … or the EU, which is much the same thing?

My bet is that  Scotland’s culture, heritage, landscapes – and it fine amber liquids – will continue to attract as many, if not more, visitors as it does now, whether or not it’s a “foreign” country.

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