The relaxation of quarantine restrictions on travel from Scotland has had “marginal impact” on intentions to travel abroad this summer, consumer research suggests.
Scotland announced the lifting of quarantine on return from most major European destinations, excluding Spain, on July 8 when the Scottish Tourism Index completed its latest consumer study.
The June index, produced by research firm 56 Degree Insight, found 89% of Scots unlikely to travel overseas because of the quarantine restrictions then in place.
The July research suggests no surge in intention to travel, with only 17% of respondents saying they would reconsider taking an overseas holiday this summer.
Four out of five respondents (78%) said they would be “very unlikely to travel by air” for a leisure break at all this year.
An even higher proportion (87%) said they had been put off taking a holiday in England following scenes of crowded beaches and seafronts.
The index researchers reported “a general dampening in the immediate desire for tourism”, with more than half the respondents (53%) considering a domestic holiday or ‘staycation’ in Scotland this year.
Of these, more than half (52%) said they would not have considered a Scottish holiday before the Covid-19 pandemic.
About one in six (16%) had already booked a Scottish holiday. Half those planning a holiday in Scotland (50%) said they would chose self-catering, with the Highlands the most-popular destination, identified by 44%.
Jim Eccleston, 56 Degree Insight managing partner, said “Despite all of the publicity, the removal of the requirement to self-quarantine for a number of markets is likely to have only a minimal impact.
“Only 17% would reconsider taking a foreign holiday this summer. This links directly to the lack of desire or demand for air travel.”
He added: “There is also very limited desire to travel elsewhere in the UK.”
The research was undertaken just ahead of Scotland’s tourism industry reopening on July 15.
Asked how they felt about tourism restarting, 37% of respondents reported they were “comfortable and ready to welcome visitors”.
However, 30% expressed concerns, 16% wanted access restricted to “more local” visitors and 18% would prefer no visitors, while among island communities only 10% said they were comfortable with tourism resuming.
The index reported: “Trips to rural parts of Scotland are more appealing to most than trips to the coast or seaside and much more appealing than Scottish city breaks. Day trips from home remain of greatest appeal.”
The survey found broad support for the recent reduction in social distancing to one metre, but 90% said they would be more comfortable with two-metre distancing and up to 20% of potential tourists said they might stay away from tourism facilities where distancing was one metre.
It also found the proportion comfortable with one metre distancing fell considerably without mitigating measures such as face masks in place – only 40% of those planning a Scottish holiday were happy with this.
The Scottish Tourism Index was launched in May. The July index findings were based on 505 interviews on July 6-8.