Shetland is a popular destination for travellers exploring Northern Europe and the Nordic regions.

Some are inspired to visit after reading about or watching the exploits of DI Jimmy Perez in Ann Cleeves’ ‘Shetland’ series, some come for the spectacular wildlife, and others head here for one of the islands’ many events, like Up Helly Aa, Shetland Wool Week or the Shetland Folk Festival.

Shetland’s tourism market is a growing one, with the number of visitors and visitor spend having increased significantly from 2013-2017. The value of tourism to our economy grew from £16.2 million in 2013 to £23.2 million in 2017, and growth is projected to continue with the ambition of the Shetland Tourism strategy to achieve £33.5 million visitor spend by 2023.

One of the aims of the strategy is to grow the season, to ensure a sustainable tourism sector all year round. There is also opportunity to develop more high-end visitor experiences and services which exploit all that Shetland has to offer.

Cruise tourism

Shetland is also experiencing rapid growth in cruise ship passengers, with 91,000 passengers visiting during the 2018 season, up from 70,000 in 2017. In 2019, over 76,000 cruise ship passengers arrived, with continued growth anticipated.

Opportunities exist for investors in the provision of quality shore excursions and services for cruise ship passengers.

If you’re interested in finding out more about investing in Shetland tourism and the opportunities available, contact Katrina Wiseman from Highlands and Islands Enterprise for further information. Email katrina.wiseman@hient.co.uk or call +44 (0)1463 383203.