HC Deb 22 April 1988 vol 131 cc604-6W
Mr. Galloway

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the annual budget of the Scottish tourist board for the years 1979 to 1988.

Mr. Lang

The information is as follows:

Financial year Outturn £ million
1979–80 4.2
1980–81 5.2
1981–82 6.1
1982–83 7.1
1983–84 8.1
1984–85 10.0
1985–86 8.7
1986–87 9.1
1987–88 9.0
1988–89 19.9
1 Provisional.

Mr. Galloway

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is estimate of the number of tourists who have visited Scotland in the years 1979 to 1988.

Mr. Lang

Estimates from the Scottish tourist board and the the international passenger survey on visitor trips to Scotland since 1979 are as follows:

million
Overseas United Kingdom visitors Total
1979 1.0 11.5 12.5
1980 1.0 11.7 12.7
1981 0.9 12.1 13.0
1982 1.0 12.4 13.4
1983 1.0 13.1 14.1
1984 1.1 13.1 14.2
1985 1.1 12.5 13.6
1986 1.3 11.9 13.2

Figures for 1987 are not yet available.

Mr. Galloway

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any figures giving a breakdown by nationality of tourists visiting Scotland.

Mr. Lang

Estimates for visitors to Scotland from overseas in 1986 by country of origin are as follows:

Thousands Percentage
United States 336 28.9
Canada 111 9.5
Total North America 447 38.4
France 100 8.6
West Germany 141 12.1
Italy 37 3.2
Belgium-Luxembourg 16 1.4
Netherlands 35 3.0
Denmark 6 0.6
Greece 5 0.4
Spain 17 1.5
Portugal 6 0.5
Total EC (excluding Irish Republic) 363 31.3
Iceland 7 0.6
Austria 15 1.3
Norway 28 2.4
Sweden 27 2.3
Switzerland 15 1.3
Other Western Europe 7 0.6
Total Non EC Western Europe 99 8.5
New Zealand 19 1.6
Japan 12 1.0
Saudi Arabia 13 1.1
South Africa 15 1.3
Australia 96 8.3
Other Rest of World (all less than 10,000) 99 8.5
Total Rest of World 254 21.8

Mr. Galloway

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what efforts are being made by the Government to progress Scottish tourism.

Mr. Lang

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for St. Ives (Mr. Harris) on 24 February at column233.

Mr. Galloway

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the contribution to the Scottish economy by the tourist industry.

Mr. Lang

It is estimated by the Scottish tourist board that visitor spending in Scotland in 1986 was about £1,600 million. On this basis, tourism is estimated to contribute 5 per cent. to Scottish GDP.

Mr. Galloway

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has about the levels of wages and salary being paid in the Scottish tourist industry.

Mr. Lang

Tourism is a diverse industry covering a wide range of occupations. The only information on wages and salaries available to me is that contained in the new earnings survey 1987. Copies of the survey are available in the Library.

Mr. Galloway

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide a regional breakdown within Scotland of the number of tourists coming to Scotland for holidays.

Mr. Lang

The regional breakdown of visitor trips taken in Scotland in 1986 was as follows:

1Overseas trips

thousands

1 United Kingdom domestic trips thousands
Highlands and Islands 295 2,100
Grampian 125 1,700
Tayside 105 1,200
Strathclyde 430 3,800
Central 50 700
Fife 60 800
Lothian 600 2,300
Dumfries and Galloway 50 650
Borders 30 450
Unspecified 20
1 Figures include multiple trips to regions within Scotland taken as part of one trip to Scotland.

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