Two out of three Scots would prefer not to fly following the Covid-19 lockdown and 90% would balk at travelling abroad if it meant quarantine on returning, according to new research.
Four out of 10 (40%) said they would not set foot on an aircraft for the foreseeable future and an additional 27% said they would seek to avoid flying.
Seven out of 10 Scots (70%) said they would not travel abroad if required to go into 14-day quarantine on their return and another 20% would be “unlikely” to travel.
The findings form part of a new Scottish Tourism Index launched in May by consumer research firm 56 Degree Insight.
The index is based on more than 500 interviews conducted on June 1-4 and the results compared with a first wave of research in the first week of May.
It found a higher level of interest in domestic travel and tourism in June than a month earlier.
Three out four respondents said they would consider an autumn or winter break in Scotland although only 30% would consider a summer holiday.
Two-thirds said they were keen to show support for domestic tourism businesses, and one in three reported the lockdown had significantly impacted their finances.
The researchers note “self-catering accommodation” and caravans and tents had “greater appeal than serviced accommodation”.
They conclude: “A key focus is likely to be on hygiene/cleanliness and minimising social contacts by choosing accommodation that is sufficiently self-contained and often rural.”
The survey also found “half of Scots are now more likely to use their own car” during a Scottish holiday and 57% are less likely to take a coach tour.
The researchers said: “Scots are also less likely to wish to eat out on holiday.”
