English tourists don’t want to go to Scotland “whatever the result of the vote”

LONDON, England – English tourists are cancelling holidays to Scotland because they fear “ill feeling” towards them after the referendum, it emerged today.

Travel firms north of the border say holiday-makers have contacted them saying they don’t want to go to Scotland whatever the result of the vote.

It was also claimed other English travellers have also cancelled planned breaks because they say they no longer want to support Scotland if it becomes independent.

Amber Swinton, property manager at Unique Cottages, said: “We have had numerous phone calls from customers stating that if we do become independent then they will no longer we willing to support Scotland and won’t be returning for a holiday.

“But of more concern is that people are cancelling holidays they had booked for next year irrelevant of the outcome of the vote.”

She said her company usually had a number of repeat customers from England who booked their Scottish summer holidays immediately after returning from their last one, who had not done so this year.

“A large proportion of our market is from England, as is the case for many other tourism companies like us,” she said. “We have a lot of clients who are passionate about Scotland, who holiday here every year, who have not come back yet this year, which is unusual. It is very worrying.”

Ms Swinton told The Scotsman her company had been deluged with emails from concerned tourists from England.

“Reluctantly we are going to cancel our holiday in Scotland due to all the unrest there,” said one English holidaymaker.

“As the split for Independence is so close which ever way it goes tomorrow, there will be a lot of unhappy people there and do not wish to be taking our holidays where there may be any ill feeling towards the English.”

David Smythe, chairman of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, said: “People will always want to visit Scotland, no matter which way it goes,” he said. “We are a must-visit country and we always will be.

“However, it is very divisive in Scotland at the moment and the rest of the UK has only just woken up to what has been going on here for two years, which has panicked everybody.”

A spokesman said VisitScotland hoped the five million trips made by English visitors to Scotland each year would “continue to increase”.

Meanwhile, a survey of 4,000 Europeans by GoEuro has found regions that seek independence have become drawn to Scotland as a tourist destination.

The study found Belgium has the highest number of citizens, 68 per cent, who now view Scotland as a more appealing holiday destination in light of the independence debate, followed by Spain with 18 per cent.

Significantly, both countries have long histories of internal separatist movements.

However, researchers said those secure in their national identity and borders have proved either unimpressed or indifferent.

Opposed to this, residents of the Netherlands have been dissuaded from visiting Scotland due to the independence debate.

Fifty-two per cent of Dutch respondents considering that the independence debate had made Scotland less appealing as a holiday destination than before.

According to a 2013 report from Deloitte, tourism is a key contributor to Scotland’s economy – it was worth £11.6 billion in 2013, and supports over 292,000 jobs.

The report also states that the sector could be worth £23.1 billion to the Scottish economy by 2025.