Finnich Glen, comprising 23 acres of dramatic countryside near Loch Lomond, and including a 24-metre-deep sandstone gorge, is now available to purchase on a freehold basis through high-end real estate firm Christie and Co.

Carved out by sub-glacial meltwater between 10,000 and 12,000 years ago, the site is steeped in historic spirituality and folklore, and hosts The Devil’s Pulpit, a circular rock formation, alongside a precipitous staircase known as The Devil’s Steps, built around 1860. It is one of Stirlingshire’s most visited natural attractions and is known to some as Scotland’s “Grand Canyon.”

@lindseymk1 Finnich Glen, the Devil’s Pulpit, where moss drapes the stones and time stands still. A place of legends and enchantment, captured in Outlander as the mystical ‘Liar’s Spring.’ It doesn’t feel real… #scotland #finnichglen #devilspulpit #river #outlander #jamiefraser #clairefraser #dougalmackenzie #nature #unitedkingdom ♬ dance of the druids by bear mccreary – Rebecca

It is also recognisable from its numerous appearances in films and TV shows, including as St Ninian’s Spring in Outlander, and in Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017).

Located around half an hour north of Glasgow by car, the site attracts around 70,000 people each year and would-be buyers will benefit from approved plans for a visitor centre, café, event space and a 150-space car park. If developed in line with those plans, estimates project an increase in visitor numbers of more than 328%, to over 300,000 per year.

The current owners, whose family have had the farmland since the 1940s, say their aim is to “pass the project onto somebody with the vision and enthusiasm to take it forward.” Echoing that, Mark Lavery, director of retail and leisure at Christie & Co, says the “opportunity will appeal to buyers who want to create a commercial business and unique visitor experience with national importance, against a stunning backdrop.”

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He added: “Historically important, and already a tourist attraction with approved planning permission, the development opportunities are exciting, and we encourage interested parties to get in touch.”

It remains to be seen how prospective purchasers will manage local discontent over dangerous roadside parking and littering. Reviewers on Tripadvisor have compared the site to a “glorified toilet.”

Limited emergency access is also a concern. Mountain rescue teams and local authorities have frequently warned the public against descending into the gorge due to eroded staircases and fatal drownings, such as that of a 21-year-old university student who, alongside friends, got into difficulty in a deep section of current in summer 2025. Stirling Council is reported to believe the sale and development project could help address some of these safety and infrastructural issues.

L’article Scotland’s ‘Grand Canyon’ goes on sale with plans to attract 300,000 visitors est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The tax is levied at the same rate year-round, putting an additional five percent on overnight accommodation, including Airbnb, bed and breakfasts, barges and boats, hostels, hotels, and short-term rentals. The fee is collected by accommodation operators and capped at five nights to promote longer stays.

Approved back in early 2025, the tax began applying on 1 October 2025 to advance bookings for stays on or after 24 July 2026. The money raised is to be targeted at measures to improve the balance between city-dwellers’ and visitors’ needs.

“We know that the city’s popularity comes at a cost through the pressure it puts on our services and on the people who live and work here all year round,” Council Leader Jane Meagher said. “This small new contribution from overnight visitors will help improve the services and public spaces we all depend on, while better managing the effects of tourism and major events.”

At the time of writing, the city is approaching the height of its event calendar, with August’s International Festival on the horizon, encompassing the worlds of the arts, comedy, theatre, books, and film and expected to see 3.85 million attendances at events across the month.

Money generated by the new tax has already been earmarked for public safety at the carnival that kicks off festival season. What’s more, over €9 million is dedicated to new arts venues, in the shape of the restoration of Leith Theatre and the transformation of the Old Royal High School into a national music centre.

Edinburgh's Visitor Levy officially comes into effect tomorrow!

The UK's first city-wide levy is projected to raise up to £50 million a year to invest back into our city -improving the services we all depend on, while better managing the effects of tourism and major events. pic.twitter.com/Jq2YiZW4Tl

— The City of Edinburgh Council (@Edinburgh_CC) July 23, 2026

But the scope of the tax spend goes beyond both the festival and the summer. Over €1.5 million will go towards additional waste, cleaning, and patrol operations in the city centre, and around €3.5 million will be spent on public lavatories. Parks and green spaces have been allocated double the rangers and a planting budget intended to give them a new lease of life. As Julie Ashworth, Chair of the Edinburgh Visitor Levy Advisory Forum, explained: “From revitalised public spaces to better visitor infrastructure and experiences, we’re confident the levy can help Edinburgh stay welcoming, resilient and successful.”

Still, not everyone is happy. Hospitality stakeholders in the Scottish capital have voiced fears that the tax will put travel consumers off Scotland and reduce their spending in the region. Fiona Campbell, chief executive of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, has also raised concerns about inconsistent implementation and a lack of guidance to businesses about collecting the levy. Others note that the tax penalises holidaymakers who have chosen to stay and spend in the city, rather than targeting day-trippers, who can add to congestion without generating much revenue.

Given the benefits to the arts sector the tax is intended to bring, some criticism of the levy comes from seemingly unlikely sources. Scottish Ballet has had to cut short its winter run of performances in the capital, blaming the strain that the additional five percent would put on its bill of over €230,000.

But Edinburgh is not alone in charging the overnight tax, following in the footsteps of destinations such as Venice and Amsterdam. British cities like Liverpool and Manchester already apply a visitor tax, and other Scottish cities such as Aberdeen and Glasgow are set to bring in their own overnight visitor charge within the next two years.

L’article Edinburgh becomes first city in Scotland to implement tourist tax est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The rise in tourism is closely linked to the BBC Scotland series Banjo & Ro’s Grand Island Hotel. The programme follows interior designer Banjo Beale and his husband, Ro Christopher, as they work on restoring Ulva House, a historic property on the island. Since the show aired, ferry operators say the island has become significantly busier during spring and summer. The Ulva Ferry team said, “If you’ve visited us already this year, you’ll have noticed how much busier things have been,” highlighting the visible change in visitor numbers since the programme was broadcast.

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Ulva lies in the Inner Hebrides and is only accessible via a five-minute ferry crossing from the Isle of Mull. There are no paved roads on the island, and movement is limited to walking or small utility vehicles. This makes the ferry the sole transport link between Ulva and the mainland network. “To give ourselves, the Boathouse and fellow islanders the chance to recharge and prepare for the week ahead, we have made the difficult decision not to open Sundays this summer,” the operators confirmed, effectively pausing tourism access once a week during the busiest months. 

The ferry company also said the scale of demand had grown far beyond expectations. “None of us could have predicted how significant the increase in the numbers of visitors would be,” underlining how quickly tourism has expanded following the island’s increased media exposure. The Boathouse and other small island services have experienced higher visitor pressure as a result. While tourism has brought benefits, it has also placed a strain on a very limited workforce and infrastructure.

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Local resident Andy Primrose, who runs a small hostel on Ulva, said the situation reflects the island’s structural limitations. “It all comes down to capacity. All these businesses are based on individuals, and there are only 16 folks here, and some of them are children. There is a natural limit to what you can do,” he said.

Ulva has been community-owned since 2018, when it was purchased by the North West Mull Community Woodland Company. The aim of the buyout was to support long-term development and strengthen the local population. At the time, only six people lived on the island, and that number has since risen to 16. The long-term vision focuses on balancing economic activity with community sustainability, with tourism seen as a key but carefully managed part of that future.

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The situation on Ulva also reflects a wider European trend where very small communities are dealing with sudden increases in visitor numbers. In Slovakia, residents of the UNESCO-listed village Vlkolínec have even called for its World Heritage status to be revoked, arguing that tourism pressure has made daily life increasingly difficult. While the circumstances differ, both cases show how media exposure or official recognition can rapidly reshape fragile rural destinations. They also highlight the broader challenge of maintaining community life in places that become unexpectedly popular.

Despite the new Sunday closure, Ulva continues to attract visitors for its remote landscapes and wildlife. The island features cliffs, moorland, quiet beaches and views across the Inner Hebrides. Wildlife sightings can include seals, otters and dolphins, while nearby waters are also home to puffin colonies. The Boathouse remains a central stop for visitors, serving local seafood in a small harbour setting. Even with controlled access on Sundays, the island is expected to remain a popular destination throughout the summer season.

L’article Scottish island closes to tourists on Sundays after sudden visitor surge est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

On the afternoon of Sunday, 31 May 2026, data collected by flight tracking platform Flightradar24 showed issues at the Scottish airports of Glasgow and Edinburgh. While some flights were delayed, others were prone to rerouting.

The issues seemed to be caused by a fuel shortage at both airports, prompting airlines to look for alternative options. According to Aviation News, TUI flights from Glasgow stopped at Prestwick to refuel, while The Herald reported that Edinburgh flights heading to Paris and Dubai were landing in Manchester to get fuel.

The logistics issues at Edinburgh & Glasgow airports over the weekend have now been resolved.

This was due to driver logistics & is not linked to the conflict in the Middle East or wider supply issues.

To be clear, UK airlines are not currently seeing any shortage of jet fuel.

— Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (@energygovuk) June 1, 2026

“A fuel supplier is currently working to resolve an issue affecting several airlines. The airport is assisting where possible, and passengers are advised to check directly with their airline for the latest information on their flight,” a spokesperson for Edinburgh Airport told the Scottish news outlet The Herald at the time.

Given the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the global jet fuel crisis it has caused, many were afraid that the fuel shortage at the Scottish airports might be related to the matter. Over the past few months, data have suggested that the United Kingdom is the European country most likely to experience eventual fuel supply issues.

However, the airports stated that short-term staffing issues with drivers at a fuel company used by both were to blame.

“A short‑term staffing issue has affected one of the fuel suppliers used by airlines at the airport, with work underway to return stock levels to normal. There have been no related flight cancellations, and the airport remains fully operational,” a spokesperson for Glasgow Airport stated.

According to the British news outlet BBC, EET Fuels – the fuel company experiencing staffing problems – was among others used by British Airways. A spokesperson of the carrier said that “British Airways flights from Edinburgh and Glasgow were operating and were not significantly affected”.

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Since the incident, the fuel company has apologised for any inconvenience caused to travellers and personnel. They specified that the issue had been resolved, which seems to be confirmed by the fact that flights were running as per usual by early Monday morning. Moreover, the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero also stated that the problem was due to driver logistics, with no refinery issue or geopolitical supply problem to blame.

Contrary to some other airports in the United Kingdom, which are connected to the Exolum pipeline, the airports at Glasgow and Edinburgh receive their fuel by road. As airlines are in charge of sourcing and buying their fuel, different carriers use different suppliers – the airports simply provide the required storage and infrastructure. It is unclear whether or not other fuel supplies on-site, delivered by other fuel companies, could have resolved the shortage.

L’article Fuel shortage disrupts fligths at Edinburgh and Glasgow airports est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

While Center Parcs already boasts seven villages across the UK and Ireland, the new park, situated near the town of Hawick, about an hour and 15 minutes by car from Edinburgh, or around just under two hours from Newcastle Upon Tyne, will be the first in Scotland.

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Hawick, once a booming textiles town, is one of the country’s furthest localities from the sea. It is hoped the holiday village will attract up to 350,000 visitors to the area every year and inject £75 million annually (€86 million) into the local economy.

The park also marks the first time the popular European nature-focused resort operator is planting a whole new forest in which to base one of its villages. The woodland development will comprise 700 purpose-built rental lodges and leisure facilities, including a manmade loch, “Subtropical Swimming Paradise,” an “Aqua Sana Forest Spa,” retail outlets and dining.

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The Scottish government is contributing €30 million (around €40 million) to the venture. Taking part in a ceremonial tree-planting alongside Center Parcs’ chief executive Colin McKinlay, Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney hailed the development as “a significant boost—a transformational boost—in terms of visitor attraction in the south of Scotland” and noted the “jobs, tourism, supply chain opportunities, and significant economic benefits” the project would provide. At least 30% of the employment generated is anticipated to benefit 16-to-24-year-olds.

Despite concerns during the approval process over flood risks, light pollution, increased traffic, threats to wildlife habitats and biodiversity, and limits on right-to-roam access to the park site, the plans were greenlit by local councillors in December 2025.

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Still, “right to roam” aspects of the development have proved particularly controversial. Right to roam is a statutory tenet established by the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, giving responsible access to most national land and inland water for walking, cycling, and other non-motorized activities. It applies to the country’s coastline, forests, hills, and paths, based on caveats in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. Considering the Scottish borders’ brutal history of forced land enclosures or “Lowland Clearances,” in which thousands of cottage farmers were displaced, the idea of curtailing public land rights here is sensitive.

But the right to roam conflicts with Center Parcs’ unique selling point: an enclosed area with one point of access, helping to create what is claimed to be a quiet, safe, car-free vacation environment in nature. Importantly for the firm’s business model, making accommodation, activities, restaurants, and pools centrally accessible in a self-contained space essentially ringfences the consumer spend by reducing the need for holidaymakers to leave the site for external purposes.

If visitors please, those purposes could include taking part in the annual Reivers’ Festival in late March, where the area’s history of border raids is brought to life through historical reenactments, music, dance, and storytelling, which bring to life the gritty and vibrant history of the Border Reivers. Alternatively, the Common Riding in June brings marches and horse ride parades, while a two-week Summer Festival in August offers themed nights, trails, and kid-friendly activities. That’s not to mention the region’s rich history of mills and textile production, nor its love of rugby. But with the new Center Parcs resort not set to open until 2029, its impact on off‑site visitor numbers and spending remains to be seen.

L’article Center Parcs breaks ground on first Scottish site despite right-to-roam controversy est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The apartments, located at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, will be accessible to visitors for a limited period in 2026. The initiative is being organised by the Royal Collection Trust, which manages public access to royal residences. 

The opening forms part of a special exhibition running for 100 days, during which small guided groups will be taken through the late Queen’s private apartments. The rooms include her Dressing Room, Sitting Room, where the Queen would carry out her official duties, and a Royal Breakfast Room, where she dined privately with Prince Philip. 

Unlike the grand State Apartments typically shown to visitors, these spaces have been described as more personal and informal. According to the Royal Collection Trust, the rooms reveal “a rare glimpse into the personal ‘lived-in’ spaces used during private moments.” 

Emma Stead, the palace’s curator, said: “Queen Elizabeth II’s well-known love for Scotland will be given fresh context through this unique and special access to the private apartments, where visitors will enjoy a new perspective into both the formal and more informal use of Edinburgh’s royal palace.”

The interiors, dating back to the 17^th century, overlook the gardens and Holyrood Park and remain furnished with items from the Royal Collection, alongside personal belongings that reflect the couple’s life in Scotland. 

In the Royal Breakfast Room, where the Queen and Prince Philip dined privately, visitors will be able to view Flemish tapestries woven around 1650, displayed there since the 1920s at the request of King George V and Queen Mary. Across the apartments, the exhibition will also feature pieces from Prince Philip’s private art collection, including works by 20^th-century Scottish artists gathered over four decades, reflecting what the Royal Collection describes as his “deep appreciation of Scotland’s landscapes and wildlife.”

A selection of the late Queen’s clothing will also be featured, giving visitors a closer look at her attire for official occasions. Displayed in the Dressing Room, where Queen Elizabeth II would get ready for official engagements, is an ensemble worn to the opening of the Scottish Parliament on 1 July, 1999. Designed by Sandra Murray, the outfit includes a purple silk-wool coat worn over a green silk-crepe and lace dress, accompanied by a tartan shawl in purple and green from the Isle of Skye, along with a matching hat, created by milliner Philip Somerville. 

Tickets for the tours are now available through the Royal Collection Trust website. Guided tours are scheduled to run from 21 May to 10 September, with prices varying depending on booking time. Adult tickets cost £71 in advance or £75 on the day, while young people aged 18 to 24 can visit for £63 in advance or £66 on the day. Tickets for children aged 5 to 17 are priced at £60 in advance and £62 on the day, with the same pricing applied to disabled visitors.

The opening represents a continuation of a broader effort to make royal residences more accessible to the public. In recent years, parts of other royal properties, including Balmoral Castle, have also been opened for limited tours, reflecting growing public interest in the private lives of the monarchy.

L’article Queen Elizabeth II’s private rooms at Palace of Holyroodhouse open to the public for the first time est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The development will entail the construction of a new 11,938m², 4-bay heavy maintenance hangar and workshops, taking Prestwick to 10 bays overall and making it Ryanair’s largest heavy maintenance hangar. Supporting around 1,200 engineering and mechanic jobs in Ayrshire, including 450 highly-skilled engineer and mechanic roles, alongside 60 apprenticeships, the facility is expected to provide “significant long-term employment and training opportunities for local talent,” Ryanair said in a PR statement.

Ryanair CEO, Eddie Wilson, thanked various partners, including “DFM Forbes and the Scottish Govt, the UK Govt, South Ayrshire Council, Scottish Enterprise, and Prestwick Airport for their support and partnership on this expansion.” He praised their “focused approach” and said their backing was “crucial in enabling us to grow Prestwick into a major heavy maintenance and training hub that will deliver skilled careers and economic benefits for many years to come.”

Brilliant news for Ayrshire – 450 new skilled jobs in Prestwick as Ryanair expands its maintenance hub.

This week alone we've announced over 2,300 new jobs coming to Scotland.

Much of that is down to the immense work of Kate Forbes, and I can't thank her enough. pic.twitter.com/RxExov7QIv

— John Swinney (@JohnSwinney) March 20, 2026

The Scottish are putting £15 million (€36 million) into the project. Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney said it would “support the creation of 450 skilled jobs at Prestwick, which will have a major economic impact in Ayrshire and beyond.”

The UK government is providing £4.9 million (€5.7 million) towards enabling infrastructure for Ryanair’s heavy maintenance hangar, funding that is part of an overall £32 million (€37 million) injection for the Prestwick Aerospace Cluster to position Ayrshire as a leading UK aerospace hub. UK Government Minister for Scotland, Kirsty McNeill called its contribution to support the expansion alongside Scottish Enterprise, “a fantastic example of significant public sector funding” that would aid in “unlocking substantial private sector investment, boosting employment and driving economic renewal in Scotland.”

Alongside Ryanair’s recent £5-million investment into Prestwick Training Academy, opened in October 2024, the hangar would mean “the next generation of Scottish engineers has a world-class career path right on their doorstep. The sky’s the limit for Ayrshire as a global leader in the aerospace sector,” McNeill added.

Glasgow Prestwick Airport provided the long-term land lease for the new Ryanair hangar. Its CEO, Ian Forgie, said the hub had enjoyed a “strong partnership with Ryanair for more than 30 years and this agreement secures that relationship for the long term and provides a strong platform for passenger growth in the future.”

The Ryanair expansion of aircraft hangar space comes at a time when maintenance and storage facilities for planes have become a hot topic. With planes grounded due to hundreds of cancelled flights, Qatar Airways and other major airlines are reported to be moving parts of their fleet out of the Middle East to a remote European facility in what appears to be anticipation of ongoing airspace disruption.

L’article Ryanair expansion to support hundreds of jobs at Scottish airport est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The revamped Paisley Museum has emerged from a £68.7 million (approximately €79 million) renovations led by Renfrewshire Council with a striking new look. The project was held back by a dearth of materials linked to the global pandemic, as well as rising construction costs and inflation.

A striking, dramatic red glass façade now greets visitors on the High Street, encouraging them to “naturally drift in”. The light-filled extensions bridge the gap between the historic complex and contemporary architecture, while the bold red frontage is intended to evoke the town’s radical spirit and capacity for reinvention.

Two buildings have also been extensively renovated: the main, A-listed building and the Coats Observatory, which is recognised as Scotland’s oldest public observatory. Both structures have been restored while preserving their historic character. 

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Inside, the museum now offers double the exhibition space across every floor in state-of-the-art galleries. An outdoor garden and new public spaces have been landscaped, and a café and museum shop have been added. The museum will also boast a dedicated learning space, an archive centre, a weaving studio and digital interactive experiences throughout its exhibitions.

A new wing is also planned to connect the Coats Observatory to the main building. This will include a telescope, giving visitors the opportunity to stargaze.

OneRen, a Renfrewshire cultural charity, will operate the museum and hopes to welcome 125,000 visitors a year.

While acknowledging the considerable challenges faced during the refurbishment, Renfrewshire Council’s spokesperson, Lisa-Marie Hughes, shows unfailing optimism:

“As with many projects involving historic buildings and with this being the first major refurbishment in its 150-year history, there have been challenges”, she said. “But I’m excited for us to now look forward to the fit-out process as we create the environment that will allow us to tell the stories of Paisley’s history and its people.”

The museum’s website describes the building as the product of a “bold and radical community” that defied social division and came together around a shared interest in the natural world, science, art, and history.

Inaugurated in 1871, the museum was built by and for the people of Paisley, driven by what it calls the “curious spirit” of the community. The region was booming in the early nineteenth century thanks to its weaving industry, which brought prosperity and, with it, a growing appetite for education. The museum’s precursor, the Paisley Philosophical Institution, which was founded in 1808, promoted education for all through public lectures, and it also began collecting artefacts, scientific apparatus, objects, and books. In 1867, Sir Peter Coats agreed to finance a dedicated building to house the new museum.

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Hughes framed the project as both cultural and economic investment, adding: “We will have a visitor attraction that local people and communities will be proud of and one that will attract thousands of visitors to the town each year, who will boost the local economy”.

Designed by the international architecture firm AL_A and constructed by HUB Build, the project was made possible through a partnership between Renfrewshire Council, the Scottish Government and major heritage funders, including the National Lottery.

OneRen’s project director, Kirsty Devine, aims to establish the museum as one of Europe’s leading cultural destinations. This may well happen, as the museum has already won a major international award: the AR Future Project Award. It beat the Prado Museum in Madrid to win the award.

L’article Landmark Scottish museum set to reopen in 2026 after major renovations est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Shetland is an archipelago of over 100 islands, 170 km from mainland Scotland and closer to Norway than to the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Only 16 of the islands are inhabited, the largest being The Mainland. There are nine inter-island ferry services that carry 750,000 passengers per year between The Mainland and smaller islands like Whalsay, Foula, Fair Isle, Skerries, and Papa Stour. Services are specified by Transport Partnership for Shetland and operated in conjunction with the Shetland Islands Council.

But some islanders are increasingly sick of sea crossings that are not dependable in poor weather and that make journeys slower even on fair days. Local authorities also recognise that the ferries are, in the words of New Civil Engineer, “operating beyond their working life” and “a significant contributor to local carbon emissions.”

As a result, the Shetland Islands Council has recently brought in consultants Cowi and Stantec to help assess the case for an infrastructure project that the chair of the council’s Environment and Transport Committee, Moraig Lyall, has said “could be the most significant project the Council has undertaken in its 50-year history.”

In the same statement on the Shetland government website, Lyall announced that three firms had been appointed to develop a Fixed Link Model (FLM), using the Yell Sound between The Mainland and Yell islands, as a “test case.”

The companies involved are Norway-headquartered LNS, which has successfully delivered projects in Faroe, Greenland, Hong Kong, Iceland, and Norway; BEMO Tunnelling, of the Metrostav Group, described as “one of Europe’s leading tunnelling and civil engineering contractors”; and one of Europe’s largest construction groups, STRABAG.

For beleaguered islanders, it sounds promising. Alec Priest, a worker at Sullom Voe oil terminal on Shetland, told The Guardian the 55 km commute from his home at Baltasound on Unst to Sullom Voe is a three-and-a-half-hour round trip, including four ferries. He called it “a colossal waste of time,” and added: “During the winter, if you have any gales, there’s a good chance the ferries will stop. It does make you cautious.” Tunnels could shave more than an hour each way from his trip.

@orkneyexcursions The ferry from Stromness to Scrabster takes 90 minutes. The boat is called The Hamnavoe, it is part of the Northlink fleet. #orkney #orkneyislands #visitorkney #visitorkneyislands #orkneyholidays #visitscotland #orkneytouristguide #orkneyexcursions #ferry #hamnavoe#northlinkferries @VisitScotland @NorthLink Ferries ♬ оригинальный звук – K.S.Project

Proponents like Priest argue that speeding up journeys would be a major economic and social boost to the islands, helping carers reach vulnerable populations, making work more efficient and increasing GDP per person, attracting residents and lowering the average age, and bringing perishable food and products to market more quickly. They also point to other places such Faroe Islands, Norway, and Denmark, where the case for tunnels was accepted and acted upon years ago. Andy Sloan, executive vice president of Cowi, said: “We know that tunnels are entirely feasible from an engineering perspective.”

Locals have said they are prepared to pay tolls to contribute to the estimated cost of tunnels, which Priest puts at between £115 million and £135 million (€132.8 million and €155.9 million). For comparison, replacing the aging fleet of ferries would require almost as much—around £100 million (€115 million), as well as an ongoing £7 million (around €8 million) a year in subsidies.

Still, questions remain about whether the ferries need replacing anyway, to distribute traffic and prop up the perceived romance of the islands for tourists. Visitor spending was in excess of €57 million in both 2023 and 2024.

Ultimately, the case for tunnels is not yet cut and dried. Councillors are due to review the outline in 2026, and committee chair Lyall has cautioned: “though the Yell Sound crossing has been chosen for this modelling work, it does not mean it would be ‘first on the list’ for construction.”

L’article Will ferries between Scottish islands be replaced by tunnels? est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Earlier in 2025, the Scottish Highland Council had announced it was envisioning a tourist levy. That decision was based on the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024, granting councils the power to raise funds for tourist services and facilities by applying a charge on overnight stays based on a percentage of accommodation costs.

The levy was set to amount to 5% per room per night, allowing them to raise an estimated £10 million for the region. However, following that announcement, both accommodation providers and the Chambers of Commerce in Cairngorm, Caithness, Inverness, and Lochaber had expressed their concerns. The local stakeholders were afraid that the added cost might discourage some tourists from visiting the region.

More flexibility ahead

During the second week of December 2025, the Scottish government officially recommended that the Highland Council put its plans on hold. A new bill is scheduled to go into effect early 2026, giving local authorities greater flexibility around visitor levies.

Instead of operating by percentage, they could opt for a fixed amount instead, and different fixed amounts could be adopted for different geographical locations, times of year, and types of accommodation. Local authorities could also choose to apply the levy on a per-person-per-night basis, instead of per room per night. Moreover, the legislation is set to provide clear information about how the levy should be applied to sales via third parties and about which information accommodation providers would have to share with councils.

“The visitor levy empowers councils by giving them a new way to raise money for investment in tourist services and facilities. Our aim has been to give councils the flexibility to design a levy that works for their areas, while ensuring businesses can easily understand what it means for them. The Act passed last year was an example of partnership working between the Scottish Government, local government, and tourism businesses. Through regular discussions with our partners, it became clear that further flexibility would be welcomed. That is why we have decided to legislate next year, to ensure local visitor levies work effectively for everyone”, said Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee in a statement.

Following the recommendation made by the Scottish government, the Highland Council decided on 11 December 2025 to pause its initial tourist levy initiative while waiting for the new bill. Councillors unanimously backed the recommendation during a meeting. While the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers found the decision to be sensible, tenants’ union Living Rent was less enthused, according to the BBC.

An update on the issue is expected early 2026, as soon as the bill goes into effect.

L’article Scottish Highlands put planned tourist tax on hold est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.