New research shows wildlife tourism plays a vital part in Scotland’s rural economy, pulling in millions of pounds and also creating many hundreds of job opportunities.

The findings of the Scottish Government report,The Economic Impact of Wildlife Tourism in Scotland, shows wildlife tourism annually brings in a net economic impact of £65 million to Scotland’s economy and creates the equivalent of 2,760 full time jobs.

1.12 million trips were made every year to or within Scotland with the main aim of viewing wildlife and most of these were from UK-based visitors and Scots themselves, accounting for 56 per cent of trips. These UK visitors who also generated 75 per cent of the income.

Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said:

“Tourism is vital to Scotland’s economic recovery. As one of Europe’s leading year-round wildlife destinations with a world famous reputation for natural heritage, Scotland has a great deal to offer. Whether watching whales from a boat in the Minch, walking in the glens or viewing puffins and seals around Inchcolm Island, visitors clearly value Scotland’s fascinating wildlife.”

Conservation bodies also welcome the report, Lloyd Austin, Head of Conservation Policy at RSPB Scotland, said:

“We warmly welcome the publication of this new research, which underlines the economic value of wildlife tourism in addition to its intrinsic value. Over 50 years since their return we have shown ospreys to hundreds of thousands of people who visit our Loch Garten reserve. This demonstrates why wildlife conservation and enhancement should be a core objective of government policy, not just for its own sake but as a contribution to Scotland’s well-being and future prosperity.”

The Scottish Government commissioned research was carried out by Bournemouth University to discover the economic impact of wildlife tourism for Scotland. It assessed the impact across three sectors: land, coast and sea.

The Economic Impact of Wildlife Tourism in Scotland full report.

This article first appeared on the web site of the Scotland’s National Rural Network