Why is Sailing important to Scotland
Scotland is often described by sailing enthusiasts as one of the top sailing destinations in the world. The combination of open sea conditions along with large number of islands, bays and anchorages gives both sheltered sailing and challenging adventures.
Over the last two decades the sailing tourism sector in Scotland has been growing at unprecedented levels. New marinas and expansions of existing facilities have been built and quickly absorbed by the rising market.
Despite the economic downturn, this growth has continued largely unabated, coupled with a significant surge in boat ownership.
Sailing can be an expensive pursuit and traditionally attracts people with a high disposable income. Given this association with the luxury end of the market, it’s no surprise that sailing is a lucrative prospect and attracts large numbers of high-spending visitors. This visitor market is actually widening as sailing becomes more accessible in terms of opportunities and costs.
Current tourism trends are attracting a whole new audience of participants, such as the visitors who are looking for authentic experiences and therefore are excited to sample our local produce. Others may combine sailing with golf, wildlife watching or photography.
Scale of the opportunity
Tourism related expenditure from sailing activity generates over £101m per year, accounting for £53m GVA, supporting 2,700 jobs. Of this, £27m is generated from non-Scottish boat owners, accounting for £14m GVA, supporting 724 jobs.
With development the total expenditure could potentially increase by £44m to reach £145m after 10 years. Most significantly, there is potential to grow non-Scottish tourism by 57% from £27m to £42m, an increase of £8.2m GVA.
Source - Sailing Tourism in Scotland research (2009)