Rebuilding Scotland's visitor economy responsibly will help us to ensure that our communities and visitors develop strong and harmonious relationships, allowing our local communities to benefit from tourism.
During 2021, visits from the rest of the UK and overseas markets to Scotland were limited due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions. However, during this period there was an opportunity to carry out research with Scotland's residents, with a focus on responsible tourism.
We studied how residents feel about climate change, and explored the sustainable behaviours that they may adopt when on holiday in the future, with insights across the following topics:
- Travel and accommodation choices
- Reducing energy consumption
- Car free days
- Choosing local independent shops, restaurants, and cafes
You can also read the important actions that residents feel tourism businesses should take.
The research, an online survey based on a representative sample of Scotland residents, was commissioned by VisitScotland and carried out by 56 Degrees Insight. The August 2021 fieldwork examined attitudes towards climate change and responsible tourism amongst Scotland residents. It took place between 3 and 11 August 2021 and 1,015 respondents completed the questionnaire.