There's no place like home as 'staycations' boost tourism by £2bn

Latest figures show the number of Scots deciding to holiday at home rather than jetting off to the sun in 2009 was up 15 per cent on the previous year.

Research from VisitScotland also showed holidaying north of the Border is becoming increasingly attractive to people living elsewhere in the UK, with numbers up 9 per cent on 2008.

The tourism agency said staycationers are helping the Scottish tourism industry hold its own, contributing more than 2.4 billion to the economy last year.

However, while tourists stayed slightly longer on average than in 2008, they spent less. Spending fell in 2009 by around 1 per cent.

Tourism experts said the recession was the major factor in the popularity of staycations.

They added that Scotland's image has been boosted by last year's Homecoming events and the popularity of documentaries such as the BBC's Coast and A History of Scotland.

Philip Riddle, the agency's chief executive, said the figures were "encouraging" and he added that they were starting 2010 with "cautious optimism".

"In the current climate, perhaps more so than ever, it's vital we all work together to sing Scotland's praises and look towards the new decade with determination," he added.

The short break market has surged, with a 13.5 per cent rise in trips lasting one to three nights.

Holiday camps saw a 16.5 per cent rise in business during the year and camping trips increased by almost 3 per cent.

The tourist agency said a recent study on holiday intentions showed the staycation trend was set to continue, with around 54 per cent of 2,000 people questioned pledging to explore the UK more in the decade ahead.

Andrew Martin, director of the Scottish Centre of Tourism at the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, said: "During the timescale of these holiday figures we got a very bad deal for the pound which will have contributed to the increase in staycations.

"In 2009 it was 1 per euro, while before that we got a preferential rate making holidays in Europe more expensive. Then there was our exchange rate against the dollar to take into consideration."

Mr Martin said the length of the recession and the weather would be the ultimate factors in determining if the staycation trend continued. "In times of recession people can find it difficult to find the deposit for an overseas trip and are more inclined to "impulse buys" and jumping into their car or heading to the railway station for a break at home," he said.

"Staycations could also be blown off course by the weather. If the snow and cold weather continues people may be more inclined to splash out on going abroad."

Tourism employs approximately 200,000 people in Scotland in around 20,000 businesses. The industry generates more than 4bn revenue annually.