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.
70%
of visitors stated scenery and landscape.
48%
of visitors mentioned Scotland's history and culture.
27%
of visitors mentioned outdoor activities.
22%
of visitors highlighted visiting friends and family.
Source: Scotland Visitor Survey, 2023
There is no single driver to taking a holiday but a combination of many. When considering potential holiday destinations, respondents were primarily wanting to:
What calls people to Scotland is a personal choice and can be diverse and varied. Our core assets continue to resonate very strongly with our visitors. Scotland’s iconic scenery and landscape and the richness of our history and culture remain as the top motivators for choosing Scotland.
We can amplify the strength of these assets by connecting people to our legends and stories that bring history and geography together in new and surprising ways. Scots are well known for their warmth of welcome and "Scotland’s people" continues to be a reason for choosing Scotland. This helps create the emotional connection that visitors find here.
Visitors use a range of sources of inspiration when deciding on Scotland. The main categories include:
These figures are net figures. Further break downs of each category are available within the PDF to download.
Film, TV and books have a role in inspiring visitors, helping to showcase Scotland, particularly to our overseas markets. The number of film and TV programmes mentioned shows a breadth of influence and a longevity well beyond the release year of a film or TV programme.
Published April 2024
Our past research highlighted that there are key features that people associate with a holiday in Scotland and the emotions they expect to feel when here.
Our topic papers further explore how we can promote the benefits of a holiday in Scotland and the emotional and health benefits of tourism.
These are the assets of the country that resonate most strongly with visitors and potential visitors. These include.
The promise of an emotional experience is critical for today's visitors. The sense of connection and enrichment is often what people will remember most about visiting a country. People expect to feel specific emotions in Scotland including:
Published May 2021
The emotional benefits of tourism and the role of travel in the pandemic recovery.
Published October 2019
The Anholt Nation Brands Index (or NBI) is an annual study amongst 40,000 adults in 20 panel countries around the world.
Since 2008, the Scottish Government has used the Nation Brands Index® (NBI) to assess and monitor how Scotland is perceived internationally. Review the full report and findings on the Scottish Government website.
Respondents score 50 nations (including the UK) on six core attributes including tourism, culture, and people as well as those relating to exports, governance, and immigration / investment. The overall "nation brand" rank is based on scores across all attributes. The report also includes analysis relating to the familiarity and favourability of a nation.
Here are a few key points from the report:
Read more about international travellers motivations and perceptions (published 2022)