Inverness in the summer is a hive of activity with the streets, shops and food and drink outlets packed with tourists.
But what happens in winter? As the city moves more from the international to domestic and local markets, is it becoming more of a year-round destination?
Or is it, as one leading hotelier suggests, a time of “damage limitation”?
And could targeting business visitors be a way of extending the season?
Although quieter now, there are still many tourists well into November.
More holidaymakers about
Jo de Sylva, who runs MacGregor’s Bar and Bogbain Farm with husband Bruce MacGregor, said: “Previously the end of October was like a cliff edge, but it’s not happened this year.
“It’s quieter, but there are certainly still a lot of holidaymakers about.
“We’re definitely seeing an upturn in visitors coming to Inverness in the shoulder months as opposed to being only a summer destination.”
Scott Murray, CEO of Cru Holdings which runs a number of hospitality busineses in Inverness, said there is a “definite shift” in terms of trade.
“It’s not super busy year-round, however the busy season is longer, and the low season isn’t quite as low.
More joined up thinking needed on tourism
“More operators are offering a more value-led proposition during the down time which appeals more to the local and regular market.
“Tourism during these periods has definitely increased too. So, while it’s not nearly as busy as summer, it’s better than we experienced pre-pandemic.”
Mr Murray wants more joined-up marketing to promote the city as a year-round destination.
“If hotels, restaurants, activities, accommodation, tourist boards, airlines etc all got around the table, a real in-bound tourism strategy could be devised which could benefit not just Inverness, but the wider Highland economic area.”
Rob Steadman, who runs the Walrus and Corkscrew wine bar, agrees the tourist season has grown longer.
“This year long-haul visitors started appearing in February and were still here in November.”
He said the KLM Amsterdam-Inverness flights help, while there are also a lot of long weekend break visitors from the likes of London and Bristol.
We should learn from other cultures
“What can we do to help? Look and learn from other cultures’ eating and drinking habits. Not everyone wants to have dinner at 6pm”, he said.
Two of the city’s main shopping areas have moved to improve services outside the summer season.
Since the refurbishment of its food hall 2022, the Victorian Market has seen visits soar to 10,000 a day in the summer.
That figure has dropped to over 34,000 a week – about 5,000 a day – in November.
However that is still a massive increase on the 6,500 a week before the upgrade.
Record number of visitors in summer
But while Inverness saw record numbers of visitors coming from coaches and cruise ships in the summer, fewer people were staying in hotels.
Numbers booking into city hotels dropped by more than 9,500 in the last year.
It is feared further reductions could come as a result of the planned visitor levy which would increase room prices.
Tony Story, CEO of the Kingsmills Hotel group and co-chair of Visit Inverness Loch Ness, said November has seen an 11% rise on last year’s revenue.
However, the average room rate is less than £70 which, he says, will leave many businesses losing money.
‘Most people lose money in winter’
He added: Most people lose money in winter. It’s damage limitation you get into in the winter.”
Mr Story says the refurbished Inverness Castle opening in 2025, along with upgrades to the Bught Stadium and Northern Meeting Park, offers an opportunity to increase visits.
He also wants to see major events and conference brought to the city, including from the growing green energy sector.
“We pretty much rely on leisure tourists, whereas business tourists over the next decade could grow with the green freeport developing.
“A major conference outwith the peak season could be a real gamechanger.”
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