‘Daycations’ earn Scotland £6.2bn

THE “daycation” market is booming, with latest figures showing days out to attractions in Scotland are now worth more than £6.2 billion to the Scottish economy.

The Great Britain Day Visits survey also showed the average spend in Scotland is higher than that in England and Wales.

Visitors spent an average of £46 per day visit north of the Border, while the figures for England and Wales were £34 and £29 respectively, according to the survey carried out last year.

Visiting friends and families, going out for a meal, taking part in outdoor activities, general days out, visiting attractions and watching live sporting events were the most popular activities. Researchers behind the study, commissioned by VisitScotland, VisitWales and VisitEngland, carried out more than 38,000 interviews.

Eating and drinking in cafes or restaurants accounted for 51 per cent of total spend.

In terms of areas visited, cities and large towns had 57 million trips, rural Scottish areas had 34 million trips and the seaside or coast witnessed 14 million visits. Day visits were defined as three or more hours away from home.

The highest volume of day visits was taken in April 2011, believed to have been a result of the extended royal wedding bank holiday.

Malcolm Roughead, chief executive of VisitScotland, said: “This survey is testament to the incredible hard work the Scottish tourism industry undertakes on a daily basis. Only last month, we reported that 98 per cent of visitors are likely to recommend the country to others, with a further 84 per cent planning to make a return trip in the next five years.

“Ongoing investment, the industry working together to utilise every opportunity and capitalising on the Winning Years – which includes the release of Disney-Pixar’s Brave, the Queen’s diamond jubilee and the festival activity surrounding this summer’s Olympic Games in London – will all be crucial in bringing millions of visitors and billions of pounds to the Scottish economy.”

Tourism minister Fergus Ewing said: “The Scottish Government is working closely with VisitScotland, other agencies and the industry to ensure we are not only meeting the expectations of visitors but exceeding them. This survey underlines the importance of the day market in sustaining a vibrant tourism industry across all parts of Scotland.

“We are determined to maximise all our tourism assets to attract both international and domestic visitors. Building on these assets, the release and European premiere of Disney-Pixar’s Brave this summer, the Year of Creative Scotland 2012, Year of Natural Scotland 2013 and the Ryder Cup and Commonwealth Games in 2014 will raise Scotland’s profile globally, but also encourage Scots to enjoy their leisure time here.”

• View details on Great Britain Day Visits survey here