Sailing tourism sector could grow by £36m in seven years, study claims
Scotland's £130 million sailing tourism sector could grow by more than a quarter over the next seven years, according to a study.
Scotland's £130 million sailing tourism sector could grow by more than a quarter over the next seven years, according to a study.
The report - funded by Highlands & Islands Enterprise, the Crown Estate and Scottish Canals - is being launched at the London Boat Show on Friday.
It found that sailing tourism currently supports 2,700 jobs across Scotland's four main sailing areas - the Clyde, west, north and east coasts - and is worth about £130 million to the economy.
The report then identified the potential for the sector to grow by a further £36.9 million to a worth of about £167 million over the next seven years.
Recognising the value of visiting non-Scottish boat owners who choose to moor their vessels in Scotland is key to adding value to the industry, the report suggests.
In the last year, sailors visiting Scotland contributed almost £39 million of the £130 million sailing brought into the country, a 24% increase since 2009.
Across Scotland, there are currently 15,700 berths available for sailors, up from 12,600 in 2009.
But with berth occupancy sitting at 95%, a further 3,000 berths could potentially be added over the next seven years to continue the growth of the industry, the study found.
While the majority of the sector's activities take place on the west coast, further developments on the east coast will be vital to attracting a European market, it concluded.
SNP MSP Stuart McMillan, convener of the Scottish Parliament's cross-party group on recreational boating and marine tourism, said: “This research confirms the economic potential in a sector that is a key part of Scotland's marine tourism offering.
“We launched our strategy Awakening the Giant at the end of 2015 and said we would make Scotland the marine destination of first choice by 2020.
“This research indicates that this ambition is achievable with significant potential for growth and benefits for coastal and island communities.”
The report, entitled Sailing Tourism in Scotland, was compiled by EKOS Ltd.