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Overview

  • In today’s rapidly changing world, having an informed outlook is vital. Looking at global trends can help Scottish tourism grow and adapt. 
  • We commissioned Euromonitor International to highlight trends that will influence the Scottish tourism and events industry from 2024 to 2027.
  • They used their expert knowledge of global trends. They also drew insights from their International Lifestyles Survey 2023 with over 40,000 global respondents. We have provided their trends document to download. Please read the copyright information under section 1.

In this article:

1. Euromonitor travel trends for Scotland

The report provides a summary of the trends as well as pen portraits of travellers and case studies of businesses and organisations.

The report includes source material that is the exclusive property of Euromonitor International and its licensors.

All such material is © Euromonitor International Ltd (2023) and provided without any warranties or representations about accuracy and completeness. Any reliance on such material is made at users' own risk.

Further sharing, disclosure, publication, or making available of all or part of the material contained in this document (or any data or other material derived from it) may require Euromonitor’s prior written consent.

The following notice should be included "© Euromonitor International Ltd, 2024 (plus year of disclosure). All rights reserved".

Travel Trends for Scotland

Published January 2024

© Euromonitor International Ltd, 2024. All rights reserved

Download (3Mb)

2.1 People with passion

This means evolution towards more connected travel experiences. It gives rise to a tourism model that focuses on:

  • deep, authentic community engagement and tailored journeys
  • placing people at the heart of tourism

The latter is a key pathway to success in a market where visitors are increasingly looking for connection, authenticity, and personalisation.

Personal connection and deeper community engagement improves the visitor experience. It can also help foster a mutually beneficial relationship between visitor, community, and the tourism sector and its employees.

© Euromonitor International Ltd, 2024. All rights reserved.

Actionable insight

  • Personal stories

    Engage more deeply with visitors weaving narratives around characters. Events might theme around a local character or myth. Cafés and restaurants could feature recipes named after family members.

  • Segment and specialise

    Define your target audience through customer profiling. This will let you tailor your offer and help create quasi-personalised experiences based on group needs.

    There's detail on traveller types such as "cultural explorers" and "eco adventurers" in the full report available to download.

    Targeting the former might focus on local artisans, traditional techniques, and materials. Focussing on the latter might highlight sustainable material sourcing.

2.2 Places and immersive experiences

This refers to a global shift towards authentic travel. It prompts the industry to offer deeper cultural connections and personalised exploration. This is particularly relevant for Scotland's rich heritage and hidden gems.

Travellers are increasingly seeking personalised immersive experiences that allow them to delve into new cultures in a more meaningful way.

Over the next few years, this pursuit of authentic engagement will shape the travel industry, whether through:

  • lesser-known locales
  • local cuisine
  • natural wonders
  • unique activities

© Euromonitor International Ltd, 2024. All rights reserved. 

Actionable insight

  • Hyper local

    Small businesses could develop brand identity clusters by leveraging a theme around local history, industry, product, or wildlife. They could signpost visitors through multiple linked attractions that retain the identity.

1.3 Power to change

This is referring to a new generation of travellers, who are increasingly eager to access responsible and meaningful experiences and events. Businesses will need to continue to adapt and embrace to fulfil this desire.

For Scotland, this means embracing and embedding these global movements into the very fabric of its tourism strategy. Businesses are encouraged to adapt to meet the changing needs of consumers. 

This will involve developing tourism offerings that:

  • are regenerative
  • promote holistic wellbeing
  • are inclusive and accessible
  • are digitally convenient
  • are rooted in the principles of sustainability and resilience

© Euromonitor International Ltd, 2024. All rights reserved.

Actionable insight

  • Highlight values

    Ensure marketing materials highlight eco, ethical, and accessibility values. Highlight any local sourcing, sustainable tourism, and corporate social responsibility initiatives.

  • Build sustainable positioning

    Take steps to create a sustainable, diverse, and ethical positioning of your business. You can take simple steps to improve ethical standing by:

    • purchasing local where possible
    • collaborating with other local businesses
    • forming partnerships with local conservation groups
    • organising plastic-free events
    • using renewable energy
    • recycling or composting waste
    • using LED lighting

Related links

About our visitors

Find out who visits Scotland, what they're interested in, and what they're looking for.

About our industry

Research on various types of businesses within the tourism industry. Insights into employment within the sector.

Responsible tourism research

Find research into responsible tourism in Scotland. This includes reports on visitor, community, and industry insights.

Regions

Research and insights on regions across Scotland.