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Although the majority of visitors to Scotland are from Great Britain and Northern Ireland there is potential for growth. These customers are more likely to travel in the quieter seasons and visit lesser-known areas of Scotland.
Check out our top tips on how to market your business to attract more domestic visitors. Take time to understand who the domestic market are and why they choose Scotland.
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Learn about our domestic visitors and what motivates them, and discover the future prospects for domestic tourism.
Rannoch Moor
Research from Domestic Tourism Update: Overnight Trips 2024.
Total number of overnight trips by GB visitors to Scotland
Total number of nights in Scotland by GB residents
Total overnight spend by GB residents in Scotland
Average nights per visit by GB residents in Scotland
Source: Great Britain Tourism Survey 2024.
If you understand what domestic visitors are looking for and when, you can tailor your marketing to better catch their eye and fulfil their needs.
UK residents start planning a trip because they want to:
Those most likely to plan and book at shorter notice:
Those likely to take more time to plan and book:
Find out more on visitors from the UK.
Some visitors to Scotland book directly with a business, on their website or through their social media channels. But some visitors book through a travel distribution partner, such as an online travel agent (OTA), or tour operator.
To reach them, you should consider making your business available to book directly and through a travel distribution partner.
Most likely to book direct:
By sector:
When planning:
Most likely to book through a partner:
By sector:
Appeal to someone who wants to get away from it all, or paint a picture of how they can spend quality time together at your business.
How are you connected, for example, to landscapes and nature or history and culture?
If you don’t currently cover these topics enough, could you create something new or expand your current product? There could be an opportunity to partner with another business to launch a bespoke and immersive experience.
You might not cover the key themes, but maybe you’re right next door, making it the perfect place to stop after.
The customer wants something to do, somewhere to eat and somewhere to stay. Show how your business can be a part of an overall trip.
List the nearest train station, bus stop and bus routes for your business to help people get around and provide parking with electric charge points. You should also find out and share what your nearest walking and cycling routes are.
Highlight on your website and social media channels how your sustainable practices help protect and preserve Scotland’s landscapes and nature. Go into some detail on how this supports the local community, and how their money is going to local suppliers.
The domestic market takes trips to Scotland all year round. Different groups plan and book further in advance, for example in February, you could be marketing a trip in May to Scottish residents but a trip in September to the rest of the UK.
Find out what makes a good accessible website including key pages and booking systems, and how you can develop and improve this digital channel.
Find out how to use social media to share information about your business and inspire people to come and visit you.
Learn more about the ways you can promote your business through marketing and how to get started.
Promote Scotland online responsibly with sustainable activities, off-season stays, and eco-friendly travel benefiting communities and businesses.
Learn about travel distribution and how working with a partner can help to grow your business.
Check out our top tips for being online bookable, and find a list of potential booking systems to introduce to your accommodation business.
Find the right online booking system for your experience and make it easier to take and manage customer bookings.
