Marine tourism

The Scottish Marine Recreation Tourism Survey (SMRTS) report (Scottish Government, 2016) gathered spatial data from over 2,500 respondents and provided improved awareness of what takes place where. 

The study notes that ‘survey design and method for data collection means the survey results are not representative of all marine recreation and tourism activities in Scotland, particularly in more remote areas, and information on activities with fewer participants is not to be taken as an indication that no activity takes place’. As such the spatial data from SMRTS are helpful but not definitive. 

In 2015 the Marine Tourism Development Group (MTDG) published ‘Awakening the Giant – the Marine Tourism Strategy 2015’ which was then revisited in 2018 (MTDG, 2015; MTDG, 2018). The strategy was an industry-led strategy to maximise the potential of Marine Tourism in Scotland. Both the original strategy and the following review set out an ambition for growth, with sailing identified as the largest of the activities within the sector. A key strand of the work was the development of adequate facilities to accommodate growth and changing leisure patterns. 

A new strategy ‘Giant Strides’ is currently under development and is expected to be produced in 2020.

Yachting / sailing

The Royal Yachting Association’s (RYA) ‘Coastal Atlas of Recreational Boating’ (RYA, 2019) included an update on recreational use intensity, based on location records from AIS (Automatic Identification System). AIS provides information about a vessel carrying the system to other vessels and to coastal authorities automatically. Figure a (left) shows the location of recreational boating activity based on the RYA information with Figure a (right) taken from the SMRTS report, and self-reported locations from the SMRTS sample. The AIS data are reasonably representative inshore but become less reliable away from the coast. It should also be noted that not all recreational craft carry AIS. What is apparent is that sailing is concentrated in the Clyde and along the west coast.

Figure a: (left) Recreational AIS intensity - RYA UK Coastal Atlas of Recreational Boating - September 2019, including Scottish Marine Regions and Offshore Marine Regions; (right) Marine Recreation and Tourism Survey 2015 - Dinghy racing, Yacht racing, Sailing and cruising, Motor cruising and Power boating at sea, including Scottish Marine Regions and Offshore Marine Regions.

Source: RYA & SMRTS (2015).

 

Sailing is particularly dependent upon the range of available infrastructure: there are a number of marinas, harbours offering pontoon berths and dedicated mooring areas around Scotland (Figure b).

Figure b: Marinas and mooring areas (showing Scottish Marine Regions and Offshore Marine Regions).

Source: RYA, Crown Estate Scotland.

 

The Sailing Tourism in Scotland Report (EKOS, 2016) for The Crown Estate, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Canals updated the earlier Sailing Tourism in Scotland Report (2010) for Scottish Enterprise. It undertook economic analysis and growth projections of the Sailing Tourism sector in Scotland and identified strategic development areas around the coastline. The study divided Scotland into four main areas – Clyde, West, North and East (Figure c) which are considered to reflect the geography of the main ‘sub national’ sailing economies.

Figure c: Geography of the main ‘sub national’ sailing economies (showing Scottish Marine Regions and Offshore Marine Regions).

Source: Sailing Tourism in Scotland Report (EKOS, 2016) and Marine Scotland.

The 2016 report showed that the total supply was approximately 15,700 berths in 2016 (pontoons and moorings for both residents and visitors) up from 12,600 in 2009, an increase of 25% (Table a). Of these 13,500 are resident berths (up 23%) and 2,200 visitor berths (up 32%). Occupancy of resident berths is 95% which is the same level as in 2009, so demand had kept pace with supply. Nearly three quarters of the capacity (73%) is located in the West and Clyde regions (Table b). Facility improvement and expansion is constantly changing and so such figures can only ever be a snapshot. Since the data were collected in 2016 there have been further investments in marina berths and facilities, for example improved facilities at Tarbert on Loch Fyne and Port Edgar, and pontoons at Lochboisdale and Oban.

The Awakening the Giant Strategy (MTDG, 2015) set out an ambition for growth of sailing as a major part of Marine Tourism. It identified that an additional 3,000 berthing facilities were required to fully realise the potential demand. It is not known yet how the awaited ‘Giant Strides’ strategy due in 2020 may change this figure.

Wildlife tourism

Coastal and marine wildlife tourism attracts visitors to view, study and/or enjoy wildlife on the coast. This includes viewing birds, mammals and coastal habitats from boats or from land vantage points with an emphasis on cliff nesting seabirds or seals at haul-out sites (where seals haul themselves out of the water).

Marine wildlife tourism specialist operators provide access to offshore areas and certain marine species, for example, dolphins, porpoises, basking sharks and seals. The Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code (revised in 2017) (SNH, 2017a) is supplemented by the Guide to Best Practice for Watching Marine Wildlife (SNH, 2017b) to help minimise any disturbance to marine life and stay within the law. There is also a network of land based aquaria and marine wildlife centres, Table c.

Cruise ships

The growing cruise ship industry is another important part of the leisure and recreation sector. Between 2010 and 2018 the number of cruise ship visits has more than doubled (Table d). More details are included in the maritime transport section of the assessment.

Research into the cruise sector is ongoing.

Visitor attractions

The Moffat Centre for Travel & Tourism Business Development (Glasgow Caledonian University) creates a regular visitor attraction monitor report (by subscription) based on survey returns from participating attractions. The data from ‘Coastal attractions’, defined as being located within approximately one mile of the coast, reveals that the Clyde and Forth & Tay Scottish Marine Regions (SMR) have the largest visitor numbers (Figure d).

Figure d: Marine tourism visits by Scottish Marine Region 2016 to 2018.​

Source: Moffat Centre Visitor Attraction Monitor 2016-2018.

Note: figures are only presented for those attractions completing the survey in all three years. This is therefore an incomplete, though indicative record of attraction visits.

The results in the monitor survey show that (of those who responded to the survey in each of the last three years, and are ‘Coastal attractions’) museums and art galleries represent 45% of visits in 2018. Outdoors and nature attractions were the second most popular at 12% of visits in 2018 (see Table e). Findings from the Moffat Centre monitor are also shown in the Historic Environment and Cultural Heritage assessment.

Bathing

In the 2019 bathing season there were 86 designated bathing waters, where SEPA monitors water quality from 15 May to 15 September and publishes the sampling results online (SEPA). Monitoring results of designated bathing waters is covered in the clean and safe, bathing water microbiology section. The 2019 classifications, calculated at the end of the 2018 bathing water season and applying to each bathing water for the duration of the 2019 season were:

In 2016 Keep Scotland Beautiful introduced Scotland's Beach Awards, assessed on 30 individual criteria points, replacing the earlier Blue Flag / Seaside Award. Table f details recent awards.

Diving, canoeing, kayaking, angling and surfing

Diving on wrecks or offshore reefs is an important recreational activity particularly in Orkney and along the Berwickshire coast. A number of wrecks are protected (see Historic Environment & Cultural Heritage assessment).

The 168 respondents to the SMRTS survey who reported taking part in SCUBA diving identified over 2,000 locations where they had been. This information has been used to generate a heat map showing the concentration of SCUBA diving around the Scottish coast.

Figure e: Recreational SCUBA diving locations (showing Scottish Marine Regions and Offshore Marine Regions).

Source: SMRTS (Scottish Government, 2016) & Finstrokes.

Note: the pink circles are semi-transparent, so the dive sites points appear darker when they overlap the underlying ‘fewer / more activities’ SMRTS data.

Canoeing and kayaking take place around sea lochs and in coastal areas, especially on the west coast, while inland canals - the Crinan, Forth and Clyde, Union and Caledonian canals - not only provide transit routes between coastal areas but act as tourism destinations in their own right.

Sea angling

Sea angling is carried out from most regions of the coastline. A wide range of species are caught including cod, tope, bass, rays, pollack, mackerel and spurdog. Species caught vary from region to region and at different times of the year. Information about the capture of some fish is covered in the Salmon and Sea Trout Fishing part of the assessment.

Surfing and windsurfing

Surfing and windsurfing take particular advantage of the Atlantic waves breaking off the Inner Hebrides but surfing is also popular on the east coast.

Figure f: Land yachting © VisitScotland

See West Coast Waters & North Coast 500: two examples of marine and coastal related tourism initiatives

Marine Social Attitudes survey

A study on Scottish resident’s attitudes (Scottish Government, 2020) towards the marine environment found that women in particular as well as residents living in coastal areas are more likely to go walking, do beach activities, or wildlife watch along the coast than men or those who do not live near the coast. Many residents mentioned that while they enjoy using the marine environment for leisure they would like to see better facilities available, such as clean, working toilets, availability of drinking water, and better walkways and access for people with buggies or wheelchairs. The study also found that many have concerns over the negative impact of tourism, particularly in terms of people polluting and littering. Evidence suggests while residents generally consider tourism a good thing, many say that it must be well managed in order to ensure the costs do not outweigh the benefits to Scotland’s marine environment.

Figure g: Dinghy activity © VisitScotland