Ports in the north of Scotland and Northern and Western isles are on course to benefit from another record-breaking year of cruise liner business in 2017.
This year’s total of 676 vessel visits is set to be surpassed by nearly 20%, with 808 vessels already booked to call next year, according to marketing body Cruise Scotland.
With more large liners on their way and a number of lines increasing their number of calls, the organisation is anticipating a leap of at least 35% on 2016 passenger figures to around 656,000. The estimated economic value of the visits to Scottish ports and their surrounding areas is expected to climb from £56million this year to £72.5million.
The latest cruise ship season, which drew to a close in the autumn, was the seventh successive year in which records for vessel visits and passenger numbers were broken across Cruise Scotland’s 16 member ports.
Chairman, Andrew Hemphill, said: “The expectations for next year will mean that since 2010, the organisation’s first full year, ship numbers, passengers and their spend will all have more than doubled.
“The continuing growth in the record numbers now visiting shows the increasing popularity of Scotland as a hugely exciting destination.”
Mr Hemphill said the statistics showed the organisation’s marketing activities were working and increasing appreciation among cruise operators and passengers of Scotland’s attractions.
He added: “The success in persuading operators to include Scotland in their itineraries in a highly-competitive global market is very much a team effort by our members and support services.
“There is tremendous potential for more in a growth industry, through sustained promotion and quality product.”
North ports among Cruise Scotland’s membership include Inverness, Aberdeen, Invergordon, Peterhead, Oban, Ullapool, Scrbaster, Portree, Stornoway, Kirkwall and Lerwick. Two ground handling agents and five members from the service sector are also members of the body.
Next year’s bumper season is expected to mean that, in the 2010-2017 period, cruise ship arrivals will have increased 119% from 342 calls with passenger numbers rising 144% from 268,481. Cruise Scotland estimates the economic value of the industry over the period at around £400 million.