This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Sweden finds a liking for Scotland
29/12/2004
The number of Swedish tourists visiting Scotland has
more than doubled in two years.
Official figures from the Office of National Statistics
International Passenger Survey show that around 37,000
visitors to Scotland came from Sweden, up from only 17,000
in 2002 thanks to new direct air routes and a marketing
push in Sweden.
Swedish visitors also spent more - figures rose sharply
to £17 million in 2003 compared to £6 million in 2002 - an
increase of 183 per cent.
Tourism Minister Patricia Ferguson said:
"This encouraging increase in visitors from Sweden is
only part of a success story that has seen increasing
numbers of tourists visiting from Western Europe - up 25
per cent in the first half of this year.
"In 2002, if visitors from Sweden wanted to come here,
they had to fly via London. That year the Executive set up
the Air Route Development Fund. There are now two direct
flights from Sweden supported by the fund.
"Two years ago we also organised a major 'Scotland in
Sweden' promotional event in Stockholm. Building on that
strong platform, VisitScotland's marketing campaigns in
Sweden are proving increasingly successful.
"As one of the major contributors to the Scottish
economy, we will be looking to tourism to help drive
economic growth. These statistics show that with hard work
the industry's ambition to grow tourism revenues by 50 per
cent over the next decade is achievable."
Initial RDF funding for the Air Route Development Fund
was provided through the 2002 Scottish Budget with £5.5
million from the Executive including £500,000 from the
Integrated Transport Fund, £1 million from Scottish
Enterprise, and £300,000 from Highlands and Islands
Enterprise.
The current survey does not include Prestwick Airport
but will do so from January 2005.