Scotland is a great tourist destination, and the tourism sector employs over 200,000 in the service sector. On average, tourists bring in revenue of about £4 billion each year, thus contributing significantly to the country’s economy. Take an example of the year 2013 when the country received at least eighteen million visitors from the UK who spent as much as £3.7 billion that year.
You will find attractions such as burial chambers, remains from the bronze, iron and stone ages, stone circles, battlegrounds, castles, houses, museums, ruins and standing stones. Those that enjoy some casino gaming experience would be glad to hear that there are several major casinos in Scotland situated mainly around the big cities.
The country also received visitors from other parts of the world who contributed at least £800 million to its economy. The overseas visitors mainly come from the United States who made up a quarter of the total tourists, with countries such as Germany, France, Australia, and Canada contributing to 30% of the visits.
The country has a vibrant culture which draws people from all over the world who seek to experience a different way of life. Most visitors arrive between April and October. However, over time, cities such as Glasgow and Edinburgh have proven to attract tourists throughout the year, thus changing people’s mindsets on the best time to vacation.
There is a national tourist agency known as VisitThis country which aims to bring in more visitors to the state. They do this by coming up with strategies for marketing and seeking other areas to exploit such as tourism in the areas of fishing, golf, drinks, and food. Another key reason why people visit this country is to trace their family roots through the use of genealogy. This practice is quite common especially with visitors from North America.
Places to visit
Being the capital city, this town attracts many tourists who prefer to stay in modern settings as opposed to venturing into the countryside. The city has both new and old towns which are marked by UNESCO as a world heritage site. Most of the visitors coming into the country are headed to Edinburgh which is the second largest tourist destination in the United Kingdom, closely following London.
Attractions in this city include the Edinburgh Zoo, the Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Our Dynamic Earth. The town has many institutions of higher learning. One such establishment is the University of Edinburgh which came about in the year 1583.
Though not the capital city, it is the largest town in the country and ranks as the second largest tourist destination in the state. Some of its major attractions include the Kelvingrove Museum, the Burrell Collection, the Glasgow Science Center and the Glasgow Cathedral.
People also flock to this city as they seek to see the Victorian Architecture used on structures as well as Gothic Architecture. It is ideal for shopping as it is full of various retail centers with the latest collections.
For people in search of historical attractions, this is a great place to begin. It lies thirty miles away from Edinburgh and is easily accessible via various transport modes. Commonly referred to as the gateway to the highlands, it lies between lowland and highland This country.
Some of its unique attractions include the Wallace National Monument, the Thieves Pot, and the Stirling Castle.
Other than Glasgow, this city also has lots of gothic architecture and is often referred to as the Granite City. Its population stands at about 200,000 people and is the leading center for administration in North East This country.
The town serves as a significant departure point as it is home to a large port and harbor. Ferries that connect the country’s Mainland and the Northern Isles dock here before they depart.
This town may be little but it is quite busy. Many recognize it as the town where the game of golf is rife. If you want to partake in the game while in the state, this would be an excellent place to stay. While here, you can visit the museum located at the University of St Andrews and have a read on the history of the institution.
This city also goes by the name the City of Discovery and here, you will find a Jute Museum.
Other places of interest include Ayrshire, Inverness, and Perth.
Recently, councilors in Edinburgh came up with proposals on occupancy levies where they hope to charge tourists a tax which would help develop the city to high levels. Given that the city is the most significant tourist destination in the state, one can only hope that the debut of such a levy will not scare away potential tourists.