2014 saw millions of international visitors travel to Scotland for the chance to say ‘I was there’ about some of the unforgettable world class events we staged over the course of the last year. Apparently well over a million people from international waters visited Scotland between January and June – the highest figure of its kind in six years.
Even more good news for our businesses, these visitors spent hundreds of millions of pounds on Scottish goods and services. I have no doubt the £575 million spend which took place in just six months will prove to be a fantastic boost for our economy.
The stats from July to December haven’t yet been released but with the Commonwealth Games, Ryder Cup, MTV EMAs and Sports Personality of the Year Awards having all taken place in the second half of the year, the final inward tourism figures for 2014 are expected to be through the roof.
With so much to entertain us at home in 2014, lots of us opted to follow the ever-growing trend of staycations, spending our well-earned time off enjoying the sights and sounds of our own country.
However now we’ve made the transition out of the Year of Homecoming and into 2015, one travel company has predicted the top spots us Scots are likely to jet off to this year.
Scotland’s largest independent travel group, Barrhead Travel, reckon the newly launched Glasgow to Marrakech route from EasyJet will play a pivotal role in boosting Scottish visitor figures to Morocco so much so that Marrakech will become Scotland’s most popular location to visit this year.
The travel agents also predict Cambodia will become a firm favourite with the more adventurous among us. According to the travel giants Vietnam has been a traveller’s hot spot in recent years but Cambodia is set to steal its crown.
At spots three and four Barrhead Travel has placed the exotic locations of Istanbul and Hawaii and the fifth most popular location for Scottish jet setters is predicted to be Malta. Prince William and Kate are among this country’s recent famed visitors and the popular TV show Game of Thrones was filmed on its shores, so those in the know are expecting heightened interest in the island this year.
All of these exotic locations sound like amazing places to visit to me. I’m lucky enough to have done my fair share of travelling – although between meetings I wish I had more time to explore some of the gems these destinations have to offer.
However, as you all know I’m a big fan of giving Scottish tourist spots their place in my travel itinerary and I believe one of this country’s greatest assets is its ski resorts. Although not in the same league as the French Alps, our resorts offer a brilliant day out for snow sport enthusiasts and families. And for those who want to make a weekend of it there are a range of accommodation options for every budget giving our tourism businesses a real year-round boost.
I was pleased to see all six of our beloved Scottish ski spots were open for business before Christmas this season and are all hopeful for another bumper year of snow. Last year’s ski season brought a whopping £24 million to our economy and boffins estimate that for every £1 spent on the slopes, punters are parting with a further £4 off the hill – great news for local Highland businesses.
I must confess although not a skier or boarder myself I would definitely fall under the group of people spending that extra cash in the local area while they enjoy a Scottish escape with family and friends.
Whether people are going away or staying at home this year, I hope it’s another great year for every part of our booming travel and tourism industry.
Big Year for the Big Screen
2014 was another big year for the movie industry with the last instalment of The Hobbit film trilogy being one of the biggest winners.
I enjoyed watching the final instalment of the mega film franchise and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one a little sad and nostalgic when it came to an end.
Next year looks set to be another lucrative year for the industry with another two great franchises returning with films. Star Wars and Jurassic Park will both return to our screens in 2015 after many years out of the limelight.
One film that I’m not as excited about – but I know plenty of females up and down the country are counting down the minutes to – is Fifty Shades of Grey.
The hotly anticipated film has topped the charts with most trailer views – more than 93 million people have watched it online.
I’m sure cinemas will be packed out over Valentine’s weekend as people scramble to get the first look at how well the film has portrayed the book.
As a busy man, travelling all over the world for meetings, I’m sure you’ll appreciate that I don’t get time to enjoy the comfort of a cinema very often.
I’m usually on a flight trying to catch up on the list of films recommended to me by friends and family. Nevertheless, I always look forward to a good film and 2015 looks like it won’t disappoint.
It Made Me Laugh: Hoping for a Murray Masterclass
I enjoyed many a chuckle last year and I look forward to seeing what gets us laughing again in 2015.
It is always the favourite part of my column and I really enjoy sourcing the stories and retelling them to my avid readers.
As you all know, I am a massive fan of Andy Murray but he has had a tough year and had to battle his way back into the top ten in the world rankings.
I hope 2015 is a better one for him and sees him walk away with at least another Grand Slam title. It’s a competitive sport but we all know that he is capable of more success.
I will once again be following every step of his career and I hope he gives us all something to smile about.
It Made Me Weep: Oil Uncertainty Ahead
As you can imagine, the weep is always the hardest part for me to write. I hate when I come across a story that I know will make this section of my column.
2014 brought a lot of sad news with many businesses closing their doors and others having to let staff go just to stay afloat.
The oil industry is currently hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Although it’s good for consumers as the prices look set to drop dramatically, it’s a frightening time for workers within the industry.
Let’s hope my column isn’t saturated with bad news stories about the oil industry in 2015.
