Tourism Insights in the Outer Hebrides

In 2017 (the year of the last visitor survey), the islands welcomed 219 000 visitors, adding £65m to the economy of the Western Isles each year.

The industry is growing at around 5% pa, given the profile of the is growing, and we are well aligned with the growth drivers in the tourism industry

Given visitors, move between islands, an exact split between islands is not possible, but the approximate split is Lewis (45%), Uist (25%), Harris (20%), Barra (10%)

Tourism accounts for 10-15% of economic activity on the islands. The proportion is higher outside the Stornoway area.

Tourism directly supports the equivalent of 1000+ full-time jobs on the islands. It also plays a significant role in supporting other sectors. Retailers and restaurants in Stornoway obtain up to 40% of their sales from visitors. It also creates significant demand for the trades and construction industry.

We tend to be an industry of micro-businesses, with tourism supplementing income from other sources, such as crofting or office-work.

Leisure visitors stay for an average of 6 days. Cruise visitors are our "day trippers" and 2023 sees a step change in cruise visitor numbers coming ashore in Stornoway and with the completetion of the new port in 2024, numbers will rise.

Two-thirds of our visitors are regular visitors to the islands. Over 80% of our visitors are from the UK, with the majority coming from other parts of Scotland.

The industry remains seasonal, though the season has extended significantly in recent years, from 3-4 months a generation ago to 7-8 months today.

Priorities for the tourism industry include:

Extending the season, to provide more secure employment through year-round attractions
Increasing the value to the island economy from each visitor
Balancing the share of tourism across the islands
Addressing infrastructure issues, particularly in relation to transport
Improving digital capabilities in the industry
Diversifying our visitor base

Download our Destination Strategy Sealladh 2030/Outlook 2030 here.

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