Tourist numbers soar

International fame of Scotland brings in Brazilians and Chinese

SCOTLAND’S c astles, golf courses and single-malt whiskies are being given the credit for a dramatic spike in visitors from the world’s emerging economic powers.

Some 82,000 people from Brazil, Russia, India and China – dubbed the Bric countries – visited Scotland in 2012, an increase of more than 30% on the preceding year.

The jump came as total visitor numbers fell by 5% over the same period, and highlighted the growing importance of the world’s fastest-developing countries to Scotland’s tourism industry.

Experts pointed to booming Scotch whisky exports and the success of films such as Scottishthemed animation Brave and Skyfall – partly filmed in Glen Coe – as proof of the country’s increasing standing abroad.

Professor John Lennon, director of the Moffat Centre for Travel and Tourism Business Development, said Scotland was starting to see the windfall from the growing middle class in Bric nations.

“Traditionally in the UK those benefits have gone first of all to London.

“We saw that with the first wave of tourism from places like China, Russia and to a lesser extent Brazil. But then as they seek to explore beyond the capital you start to see this trickle-down effect,” he said. “Scotland, because it is world-recognised for key products like whisky and golf, really stands in good stead.

“When you compare us to Wales you’re not seeing that kind of rise there. It’s the international reputation of Scotland that appeals.”

Much of the boost in demand comes from China and Brazil, with visitors to Scotland from those countries almost doubling between 2011 and 2012, according to the figures from the Office of National Statistics.

Scotland’s cities saw much of the increased demand, with Glasgow enjoying a 54% spike in visitors from Bric countries last year and Edinburgh seeing a 10% rise.

TomMitford, a 66-year-old travel guide who’s been giving Scottish tours in Mandarin for more than 20 years, said the increase in Chinese travellers has been huge over the period and said competition among guides has increased.

“Chinese visitors come here in bus groups all year round. It’s often part of week-long UK tours which also take in Oxford, Cambridge, Stratford and the like,” he said.