11 reasons why tourists choose to visit Scotland revealed in new list

Scotland's longstanding reputation as a must-visit destination is getting stronger, according to new research.

Results of the Scotland Visitor Survey 2023, conducted VisitScotland have been revealed, with findings showing that 82 per cent of visitors to Scottish shores would recommend the country to others. This is an eight per cent increase compared when the survey was last conducted in 2015/16 before the pandemic.

Three quarters of visitors said they plan to return to Scotland in the next five years. In fact, 71 per cent of those surveyed rated their Scottish experience as a nine out of 10 or higher.

The nation's scenery and landscape was listed as the top reason for returning, with 70 per cent citing this as their favourite part of their holiday. History and culture followed at 48 per cent, with 27 per cent wanting to come back for the many outdoor activities on offer.

Other draws include visiting friends and family and the people of Scotland themselves. Almost 60 per cent of long-haul visitors stated their Scotland getaway was the best they had ever taken.

Full list of reasons people visit Scotland

• Scenery and landscape (70%)

• History and culture (48%)

• Outdoor activities (27%),

• Visiting friends and family (22%)

• Scotland’s people (21%)

• Close to home

• Visiting attractions (19%).

• Ancestry (16%)

• Food and Drink (15%)

• Close to home (15%)

• Events or festival (9%)

To come to conclusions, VisitScotland surveyed tourists between From March to October 2023, while they were both in the country and when they returned home, to help build a complete picture of their journey.

With Scottish tourism worth an estimated £10.6bn to the economy, repeat visits and word of mouth recommendations have become vital for many businesses still recovering from challenges posed by the pandemic.

Recent figures show that international tourism in Scotland is recovering at a stronger rate than other UK nations and regions but visits from UK holidaymakers may have been impacted by the soaring cost of living crisis.

Tourism Minister Richard Lochhead said: “It’s very heartening to see such a positive response, particularly given this is the first major survey of its kind undertaken since the pandemic. Repeat visits and word of mouth recommendations are vital to the sector, so it’s great to see that results are now even stronger than pre-pandemic figures, with over 80 per cent of visitors sharing that they are likely to return to Scotland or would recommend a visit to others, and international tourism recovering at a stronger rate than the UK as whole.

“Scotland’s visitor sector is of huge importance to our economy, and these results showcase the strength, creativity and ingenuity of our tourism providers, who continue to offer a vast choice of unique events, attractions and experiences to visitors from all over the world. Scotland can be proud.”

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