Travel to Scotland from the rest of the UK down by 29%
Travel to Scotland from the rest of the UK is down 29% compared with last year, with visitors staying away as the country enters the final throes of the referendum campaign.
According to trivago.co.uk, hotel searches from England, Wales and Northern Ireland made between 1 August and 15 September decreased by almost a third compared to the same period in 2013.
The website's figures excluded searches for the Ryder Cup (23 to 28 September), but with those included travel interest still decreased by 19% on 2013.
While interest in travel to Scotland has dropped in the past six weeks, Scottish travel to the rest of the UK has declined too. Searches by Scots England, Wales and Northern Ireland were down 19%.
Trivago's Denise Bartlett said: "With the future of Scottish independence uncertain and many questioning how this will affect both potential visitors and the country's tourism industry, it is interesting to note that Scotland has already seen a decline in travel interest from the rest of the UK. Despite the Ryder Cup, which was expected to boost Scottish tourism, searches for accommodation in the country have decreased in comparison to last year.
"Although this cannot be attributed wholly to the referendum, it is interesting to note that searches made by Scottish users to the rest of the UK have simultaneously decreased. With many in Scotland voting for independence, it appears likely that interest in visiting England, Wales and Northern Ireland has declined."