We will love to be beside the seaside: Blueprints revealed to help ensure the surge in staycations is here to stay
Seaside towns in Scotland are reporting surging visitor numbers this summer as they plan to make the resurgence in staycationers permanent post-pandemic.
Many of the country’s traditional resorts describe a “manic” few months and hope the rush to enjoy our beaches can help turn back the clock and encourage Scots to holiday at home.
The delays and difficulties in international travel this summer, from ports to airports, have encouraged holidaymakers to stay closer to home, but that is only reinforcing a growing trend, according to observers.
South Ayrshire Council leader Martin Dowey said: “Covid has probably been the catalyst for Scots falling back in love with Scotland. I think everybody worried staycationing was a flash in the pan when travel restrictions meant it was difficult to get abroad but the visitor numbers are even better this year than last year.
“Now they’re realising Scotland is a beautiful part of the world. The seaside staycation is definitely making a comeback.”
Plans are already in motion to revamp the promenade at Ayr beach, nearby Largs is upgrading its seafront and Troon has reinvented its beach-front play park, introduced a trial camping spot to encourage staycationers and plans to build a skate park next year.
In Broughty Ferry work has begun on a new multi-millionpound beachfront and £9 million coastal path between Dundee and Monifieth, and the Great Harbour project in Irvine is set to enhance parks, local heritage and waterfront attractions while also creating new ones.
In summers gone by Arbroath’s outdoor pool attracted holidaymakers, including Billy Connolly. However, it suffered the same decline as other British seaside towns. Now, as people opt for staycations, residents are hoping a sea pool can be created to encourage more people to go to the coast.
Kevin Smith, treasurer of Arbroath Sea Pool Project, is a former deep-sea heavy construction and welding diver and believes it would be a welcome addition for visitors and watersports. “I’ve lived in Arbroath for 45 years and remember the days when people would flock to Arbroath
for their holidays. It would be great to see that again,” he said.
Smith says the free facility, which could cost as little as £200,000 to build, would be accessible to all, all year round.
Bob Pollock, councillor for Troon, has noticed an influx of tourists in recent months. “In my generation, we always had ‘Doon the Watter’ holidays and it feels like that’s coming back. I grew up in the 60s and early70s and we never went abroad. We went caravan holidays – and I absolutely loved it, touring the east and west coast. I can definitely see the rise of this type of holiday for Scots.”
He added: “During Covid, it was hard to holiday anywhere else, but this year people are choosing to staycation – and that’s a great thing.”
South Ayrshire Council leader Martin Dowey said coastal towns saw an increase in visitors in the breaks between lockdowns, a trend that has continued this summer. “The beaches are rammed on a sunny day and people come to holiday here for a week or two all through the summer,” Dowey said. “To be honest, the Esplanade at Ayr looks like it’s from the 70s. Nothing has been spent on it. It needs to be brought up to the 21st Century. Tourism needs to be our number one driver. We need to give people an experience so they want to come back. We’re planning a big revamp and hoping, if we build it, they will come. But we can’t be complacent.”
Lesley Whitehill, VisitScotland’s senior tourism insight manager, said the organisation didn’t yet have visitor figures for seaside locations, but all the signs were pointing to traditional resorts proving popular again.
“We’re increasingly seeing people seeking out experiences they maybe haven’t had since childhood, coupling nostalgia with a desire to recreate new memories with younger loved ones,” she said. “And the towns and villages that hug Scotland’s shore are where families have holidayed for generations. We’ve also seen a growing trend for what we’ve termed ‘water wellness’, with people seeking experiences that involve being near or in water as a means of improving their health and wellbeing. This could be everything from coastal walks through to paddleboarding or wild swimming.
“People don’t come to Scotland for the weather. They come for our breathtaking scenery, rich history and heritage, distinct culture and warm and welcoming people. And many of Scotland’s seaside towns boast all those things.”
Scottish Government business minister Ivan McKee said it had been supporting local infrastructure projects with £15m of grant funding and hoped seaside locations could help with the economy’s recovery from Covid. He added: “The Scottish Government would encourage more people to consider spending weekend breaks or day trips in Scotland’s many beauty spots. Choosing domestic destinations to visit can help boost businesses and create a more prosperous and sustainable tourism economy.”