In 2023, we commissioned the Scotland Visitor Survey to gather insight on visitor attitudes and behaviours. The scope of the survey was leisure overnight visitors only. The survey explores the profile of the visitors who took part in the research. Read more information on the background, methodology and key highlights from the Scotland Visitor Survey 2023.
85%
of visitors were on a purely leisure break
25%
of visitors were first time visitors
10%
of visitors were on a trip of a lifetime
5%
of visitors were combining a business trip with a leisure trip or working remotely
50%
of visitors were aged over 55
15%
of visitors were pre-nesters, aged 16-34 with no children
11%
of visitors were travelling with a pet
9%
of visitors were travelling on their own
Source: Scotland Visitor Survey, 2023
Published April 2024
The "millennial generation" is one of the largest demographic groupings in history. Most researchers regard Millennials or Generation Y as people born anywhere from the early 1980’s up to the early 2000’s.
In 2018, we commissioned research to explore the travel motivations and behaviours of this younger generation. The work was carried out by Kubi Kalloo.
From a tourism marketing perspective, it’s important to remember that age alone does not create a uniform group with a single, common set of values and behaviours. Within this relatively wide age range, we find an equally wide cross section of:
Originality for young travellers means providing new opportunities or reviving and refreshing existing traditions and brands so that young travellers feel they are discovering them for the first time.
Affordability is key, particularly when income may not match the desire for new experiences. Young travellers are adept at seeking out deals and signing up to offers that keep them "in the know".
Those without children can be agile and spontaneous. They're able to take advantage of last-minute opportunities.
Being seen as "ahead of the curve" is important to young travellers, allowing them to feel like a leader rather than a follower.
Reframing an experience (staying in a log cabin rather than a hotel for example) means "bragging rights" are rooted in a genuinely differentiated experience rather than simply ticking off a destination.
Younger people want a deeper level of involvement when they travel.
They often seek out experiences that are unique to the destination. These may not be particularly unusual, but are different to normal behaviour and different from previous (and future) holidays.
Published August 2020
Scotland is perfectly positioned to deliver an ideal family holiday. Holidays and short breaks offer families the much-needed opportunity to put the brakes on their busy schedules and escape for a while. They allow them to reconnect with each other and making memories together.
In 2018, we commissioned research with over 300 UK children aged between 8 and 12 years (and over 300 parents too). We explored what makes a great family holiday and Scotland’s strengths and weaknesses as a family destination. Boxclever conducted the research.
We found that parents were looking for a number of key things from a family holiday experience:
Dial up the benefits of a family holiday, like:
Consider Scotland’s key strengths (all loved by those who have visited Scotland):
Combine this with a clear message about freedom, revitalisation, and adventure.
Focus on imagery and experiences that appeal to young people. Use something that fires up their imaginations and encourage them to engage with:
Static landscape or scenery imagery appeal less.
Tap into the school curriculum and consider its influence on young people’s interests and passions.
Published November 2019
Published November 2019
The domestic sentiment tracker has been running since May 2020. It explores the likelihood of UK residents to travel both within the UK (and abroad) and when and where they plan to go.
Variations by life stage are explored in relation to domestic trip behaviour. Insights are identified for pre-nesters, families, older independents, and retirees.
Read the latest report from the domestic sentiment tracker