Hansard

We have had a good debate about the wide variety of attractions and activities that come under the marine tourism umbrella and about the strategy that is developing to grow that diversity even more. We have heard, too, that partnership is vital to the success of the strategy; there are many ways in which the various organisations in the sector can work together to promote Scotland and increase visitor numbers.

Our amendment highlights the growth of eco-tourism and the importance of environmental standards in encouraging nature lovers and water-sports enthusiasts, among others, to take advantage of our natural environment. There are issues to be addressed, but as Graeme Pearson illustrated, Scotland has much to celebrate in the quality of our environment, which is sometimes more obvious to visitors from afar, including the consul general from China, than it is to us.

Stuart McMillan highlighted the important contribution of Parliament’s cross-party group on boating and marine tourism to the development of the sector strategy and to the relevant parts of the national marine plan. That is also something to celebrate. It is what this Parliament, on a cross-party basis, aspires to do, and it demonstrates the added value that an effective cross-party group with the right leadership and sense of purpose can bring in making a link between Parliament and the wider economy and society.

A number of members highlighted the central importance of sailing to our marine tourism strategy. There is surely scope to explore the potential for longer-distance sailors and yachtsmen and women coming to Scotland, not as a mass market in itself, but as a means of promoting Scotland’s many attractions to audiences in other countries. Angus MacDonald’s comments on the success of the marinas in Stornoway and Lochmaddy reflect that potential.

A few years ago, I was lucky enough to visit St Kilda, courtesy of a Harris skipper by the name of Angus Campbell. He showed the quality of his seamanship when the seas turned a little choppy on the way home to Leverburgh, but what was fascinating was the sheer number of other people who were making their own way to Scotland’s remotest islands. The St Kilda island group is 50 miles west of Harris. Of course, it justifies a visit in its own right, but it is also an obvious attraction to Atlantic sailors in general. As has been mentioned, there are leisure sailors from Scandinavia and the Baltic who head for the warm waters of the Caribbean every so often, and they might be attracted to spend some time in Scotland on the way there or back.

If we are to develop the full potential of our sailing economy, we should go beyond the desirable objective of providing good facilities for weekend sailors from Britain and Ireland, important though those are. Short-haul trips will continue to be the bread and butter, but the added value of appearing on global itineraries is worth pursuing vigorously.

The strategic framework for marine tourism recognises the actual and potential importance of near-abroad places such as Scandinavia, Germany and the Netherlands, but it describes Russia, for instance, as being of more long-term interest

“due to the challenges posed by geography and transport links.”

Having grown up in Lewis and living now in Aberdeen, I have never been inclined to think of the eastern Baltic or Arctic ports as being a long way away; there might be more potential in leisure business from those directions than we have yet begun to measure. I hope that the minister will agree that our harbours, marinas and canals can help to attract such long-distance business as well, if we take a positive approach.

Angus MacDonald made an important point about the need for all our canals to be properly dredged if they are to attract ocean-going yachts. I hope that that issue will be addressed.

Liam McArthur and others talked about more novel forms of marine tourism. Cutting-edge businesses such as those that are represented by Wild Scotland have tapped into the potential of the growing eco-tourism market. Dolphin discovery days and wild-river outings are but two of the most obvious water-borne attractions that will appeal to all the family while they are staying in accommodation that is specifically designed to have the lowest possible impact on the environment.

Our landscape and waterscape are ideally suited to activities such as white water rafting, deep-sea diving and outdoor swimming. Facilities such as Knockburn sports loch near Banchory meet the rising interest in such sports and are creating an environment in which outdoor swimmers can practice in safety even though they are miles from the open sea. The point here is that marine tourism is not a separate business in a silo, safely compartmentalised away from the tourism industry on dry land. All the activities that visitors can enjoy in freshwater have their counterparts in the seawater environment, and they all add up to an attractive offer for outdoor holiday fans from Scotland, the rest of these islands and further afield.

We have also heard about the value to the Scottish economy of ocean cruise ships, which are a long-established feature of global tourism. Many of those ships find their way to Scottish shores. It is not just the Clyde, which Stuart McMillan mentioned, that attracts them; as Richard Baker mentioned, places around the north-east coast and the northern isles also attract them. Aberdeen Harbour is building a whole new port in Nigg Bay, the purpose of which will be partly to bring more cruise ships and their thousands of passengers to land in Scotland. That will have obvious benefits for the wider economy.

Accommodating those ocean-going liners is a very different business from a marina for coastal sailors. However, just as marine tourism can benefit from a wider interest in the outdoors, so our coast must be geared to take all kinds of leisure vessels—great and small.

It is important that we recognise the connections within marine tourism and from it to other sectors. The Government, working in partnership, should and will—I hope—encourage innovation and imagination in how those businesses grow. If we can combine an adventurous spirit with careful support for our natural environment, the future for marine tourism in Scotland could be very bright.