Skye needs more help to cope with its tourism boom

The sun sets over basalt pinnacles known as 'The Old Man Of Storr' on the Isle of Skye (Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

It’s not quite Bali, which saw more than five million foreign tourists last year, but predictions that more than a million people will visit Skye this year make clear that this beautiful island is an attraction of national significance.

While the income from tourism is welcome, such an influx brings with it obvious problems, including road congestion, a lack of affordable homes for local people, and environmental damage caused by the sheer weight of numbers. The task for government, then, is to find ways to ensure the island benefits from this economic bonanza and ameliorate the downsides.

However, just as the numbers are rising, support for the island seems to be falling, with the loss of countryside rangers who helped manage the crowds at the most popular spots and a fund that paid for basic things like footpath improvements. Skye is a jewel in Scotland’s tourist industry crown and, we suggest, has a strong case for a little extra help, lest its popularity proves to be its downfall.

Skye needs more help to cope with its tourism boom – Scotsman comment

Get our weekly opinion newsletter for expert analysis from The Scotsman’s team of columnists

Comments