Assessing the economic impacts of nature based tourism in Scotland

9.5 Conclusions from watersports reports
The available reports noted above are focused on coastal sailing. Experience
suggests that sailing brings the greatest overall economic return relative to other
watersports. The figure of £27 million of expenditure from sailing tourism, identified in
the recent report for Scottish Enterprise, is considered a realistic figure.
If expenditure from Scottish based leisure sailors on overnight trips was taken into
account the figure allocated for sailing tourism could be greater. However, only a
proportion, perhaps 40%, of all sailing visitors’ expenditure could be allocated to the
natural heritage as, although it is important, it is not considered as generally a primary
motivation.
A further £10 million is suggested, as an informed estimate, for the tourism value of
other water based activities like paddle sports, surfing and sub aqua. A majority of
water based activity in Scotland is attributable to people resident in Scotland
undertaking day trips.
Whilst natural heritage motivations may vary, for example competitive white water
kayaking or diving on wrecks and man made structures, a key requirement for all
watersports, involving part or total immersion, has to be clean water. Hence, it could
be argued that almost all trip value should be allocated to the natural heritage. The
walking study, however, noted that 20% of walkers (equivalent to 1.41 million trips)
also engaged in other outdoor activities, notably mountain biking / cycling and
watersports. Taking this evidence into account, the trip value attributable to the natural
heritage would be reduced for a proportion of non-sailing watersports participants.
Table 26 - Value of watersports
WATER SPORTS SUB ACTIVITIES
Off shore sailing
- excluding Scotland residents
- including Scotland residents
Others:
Paddle sports
Surfing
Sub aqua
£27m
£61.4m
£10m
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