Occupancy in Scottish visitor accommodation sectors

Please note this dashboard contains multiple tabs - you can move through the tabs by using the arrows at the bottom of the viewer.

The dashboard provides filters to locate specific data. However, please be aware of sample size when using these filters. How are we showing sample size here?

Data on occupancy in Scotland’s visitor accommodation sectors is gathered and analysed through the Scottish Accommodation Occupancy Survey. This is conducted by the Moffat Centre at Glasgow Caledonian University, on behalf on VisitScotland. 

The survey covers the sectors of Hotels, Guest Houses and Bed and Breakfasts, Self catering, Hostels, and Camping and Caravanning.

Businesses opt-in to provide their occupancy details through an online portal. The data they provide is very valuable to understanding what is happening in tourism across Scotland. In return, they are able, using the portal, to benchmark themselves against others in the industry and see how they are performing.

The richness of the data and analyses provided by the SAOS is dependent on the number of businesses participating, so accommodation businesses are strongly encouraged to opt-in and submit their data.

Full details are available from the visitscotland.org website (link to external website)

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on travel and data collection meant that the volume of participants taking this survey has been lower than in previous years, with particular reduction in 2020 and 2021. Sample sizes were significantly reduced for 2020 and for the first half of 2021, particularly at a regional level.   The volume of participants taking this survey remains lower than pre-covid figures, as the industry continues to recover.  Please note the guidance on sample size and using the statistics.

We are working on solutions for downloading dashboards for use in presentations and other publications.  In the meantime we suggest taking a screenshot of the required chart or linking directly to the Observatory where possible. 

Please read the disclaimer and advice on using the data.

If you require alternative formats of this data or visualisation please contact sto@visitscotland.com and the team will be able to assist.