Argyll’s booming tourism economy

HOT ON the heels of the launch of Wild About Argyll in Glasgow at the end of January, Argyll and the Isles Tourism Co-operative (AITC) has welcomed evidence of Argyll’s booming tourism economy.

AITC, which hosts its sixth annual tourism summit at the Lochawe Hotel on March 21, cites Scottish Government statistics from 2011 to 2014 which show Argyll and the Isles comprehensively outperformed Scotland in terms of tourism.

Argyll and the Isles total visitor spend increased from £199m to £270m - an increase of 36 per cent compared with four per cent for Scotland - while turnover rose from £167m to £227m, an increase of 36 per cent against 15 per cent for Scotland.

The greatest percentage increase in visitors to attractions by council area between 2015 and 2016 was also in Argyll and the Isles, at 21.9 per cent, compared to 4.9 per cent for Scotland.

Proof

AITC chairman Gavin Dick said: ‘These statistics are authoritative proof of the importance of tourism to our region and the effect AITC has had in changing the way tourism is represented in Argyll and the Isles.

AITC’s 2017 campaign Wild About Argyll, which features adventurer Mark Beaumont’s 12-day Argyll and the Isles adventure, was launched at Oran Mor, Glasgow, January 31. Skerryvore’s new single Live

Forever, which features video from the 12-day epic adventure, is the Wild About Argyll campaign theme.

The year-long campaign is designed to introduce potential visitors to the region, Scotland’s adventure coast, and to put together their own ‘Wild About Argyll’ adventure – whether they are here for a day trip, short break or longer holiday.

For more details on AITC, visit www.exploreargyll.co.uk or www.wildaboutargyll.co.uk.