Responsible tourism
How will tourism today affect the islands and their communities tomorrow?
Tourism changes places
Tourism in rural Scotland is vital for the survival of communities. It has the power to change places and the lives of the people in them, for better or worse. Left unchecked, it can harm the places we love.
Travellers are asking the same questions. Booking.com’s 2022 Sustainable Travel Report found 57% of UK travellers planned to prioritise sustainable travel that year. 63% wanted to experience local culture, and 55% aimed to leave places better than they found them.
So we look at the bigger picture before visitor numbers. That means thinking about tourism’s long-term impact on the environment and on the people who live here.
Holiday lets and island housing
Short-term lets bring valuable income to owners. They also reduce the homes available to islanders, which makes it harder to keep tourism staff or attract teachers and emergency service workers.
This is how homes in Tiree broke down in research carried out in 2021.
The same pattern shows up in Skye, Mull and Harris.
- 54%main homes
- 29%short-term lets owned off-island
- 5%short-term lets owned by residents
- 12%private holiday homes
In 2022, UK Hospitality Scotland reported 84% of businesses were short of front-of-house staff. That hits small communities hardest. We can’t fix housing alone, so we use our voice to raise it, and we tag every resident-owned place so you can choose one.
Digital skills for a more secure future
When tourism shut down in 2020, island businesses without an online presence had no other way to earn. It was a stark wake-up call.
A strong digital presence opens up new business and helps communities prepare for the what-ifs, from economic downturns to storms. The profit from your booking pays for subsidised digital help for island businesses and community groups who could not otherwise afford it.
Join us
Make your next island holiday a force for good.