Assessing the economic impacts of nature based tourism in Scotland

Similarly, it is not possible to split all information provided in impact reports on
particular activities into overnight stay expenditures and day trip expenditures without a
degree of estimation. Our estimated disaggregations were, however, informed in
many cases by information in other reports or by UKTS / IPS figures.
The proportions of visitor expenditure (and hence FTEs) in Scotland that we have
assigned to the natural heritage are applied to 2008 totals, but are not as precise as to
apply solely to that year. Tourism in Scotland in 2008 was relatively low compared
both with the previous year (2007) and to 2009 (through “staycations” due to the
recession and the depreciation of sterling). Thus, the same proportions could be
applied to 2007, 2009 or 2010 totals.
Relatively high spending in 2008 by overseas visitors to Scotland (an average of £64
per day) and by non-Scottish UK visitors (an average of c£75 per day) compares with
average spending by Scottish tourists in Scotland of £48 (rounded to £50 to allow for
lower average VFR spend) per day.
Evidence from the UKTS and reports on nature-based holiday visits that include visitor
surveys suggest that the average nature-based holiday visitor from overseas or the
rest of the UK will spend less per night than these overall averages, which will mainly
be due to staying in rural Scotland where overnight stays tend to be less expensive
than in cities and large towns, and where there are fewer retail spending opportunities,
less evening entertainment, etc. Thus we have assumed that the average naturebased
holiday visitor in Scotland (including Scottish residents) spends an average of
£55 per day.
As an example, committed overnight stay walkers tend to spend less per day than the
average visitor – while walking, their expenditure will be minimal; they often camp or
stay in budget accommodation close to a walking route; they might be in a remote part
of Scotland without spending opportunities; they might be members of an organised
group that shares costs; and they are often cost-conscious (e.g. being students,
retired, or wishing to eke out their holiday spending over the year). These visitors,
however, tend to take relatively long trips for walking – especially people from England
visiting the north of Scotland – and this will tend to bring their average spend per trip
(as distinct from per day) up to the average for non Scottish visitors to Scotland.
For overseas and rest of the UK visitors on holidays in Scotland combined, an average
spend per 24 hours of £70 is assumed, while for rural holidays, an average 24 hours
spend of £60 is assumed. Where cells in the table are based on a percentage of all
holiday visitors to Scotland, the base will include holiday visitors to Glasgow and
Edinburgh.
Scenery as a motivation is a residual feature of Scotland’s natural heritage in the
analysis to the extent that visitors whose prime motivation in taking a holiday in
Scotland might have been wildlife, walking, etc will often tend to have been drawn to
Scotland (rather than another destination) because of its outstanding scenery. Thus,
the overall value of scenery in Scotland’s tourism appeal is under-represented in the
table.
The control totals for holiday tourism expenditures in Scotland in 2008 are as follows
(see 13.2 and 13.3 above):
84