15 April 2005
Scottish tourism leaders welcomed figures this week showing a boom in visitors to Scotland.
The latest international passengers survey showed that numbers are up by 20% in 2004, compared with 12% in the rest of Britain.
The figures were published as Scotland's Expo tourism trade fair opened in Aberdeen on April 13.
Tourism Minister Patricia Ferguson said: 'I believe we are beginning to reap the rewards of increased marketing activity, increased air and ferry routes into Scotland and an upturn in the quality of the tourism experience.'
She stressed that tourism was crucial to Scotland's economy.
The survey shows that in 2004 overseas visitors made 1.88 million overnight visits to Scotland, compared with 1.56 million in 2003 and 1.58 million in 2002. The figures reveal a 41% rise in visitors from European countries outside the European Union.
The survey, published by the Office for National Statistics, is based on data collected at airports and ferry terminals.
PFapr2005
