Aug
31
The tourism industry is continually seeking out new vacation destinations to satisfy the ever increasing demands of the modern tourist however many are also taking a new interest in places which have been popular destinations of the past. The reasons for the decline in the areas popularity with tourist may not be applicable today (such reasons could include such things as wars ending). The Western Isles of Scotland are one of the most fascinating and beautiful places, in the world, which are seeing a dramatic increase in the number of folk taking vacations there.
The early UK tourists could be said to be more like explorers, than their modern counterparts, often traveling to difficult places to get to which were not often visited except for locals. European travel was generally limited to the very rich who indulged in the “Grand Tour of Europe” for educational reasons but mainly to meet new important friends and to generally have a wild time abroad.
As the working classes began to take time off to visit places they usually did so in large numbers to somewhere very local (when their factory or workplace would close for the duration of the vacation). This led to an increase in the number of vacation destinations within easy access of industrial areas. During the 1950s and 60s a number of holiday camps opened in more picturesque places aimed at the domestic market but many people began to look at more exotic destinations. Those people with more money were able to afford to travel to many more places and destinations such as St Kilda in the Western Isles of Scotland became interesting places to visit for small numbers of folk.
With the development of air travel, and its steady decrease in cost and increase in wages, many British families were now able to afford to take European vacations. Instead of taking the family to the likes of Pontins and Butlins holiday camps in the UK, families now visited beaches in Spain, the South of France and the Mediterranean. Alternatively visitors from abroad started to visit the UK and many chose to visit places with unique aspects such as the Western Isles of Scotland, which started to become extremely popular with American and Canadian visitors as a vacation destination.
While younger tourists still opt for the typical beach and bar vacation destinations more discerning tourists, who understand the dangers of binge drinking and sunburn, tend to look for something a little more educational, inspiring and altogether more cultural. Many of the United Kingdoms’ major cities seem to becoming highly popular with tourist with Liverpool being in the vanguard (Liverpool is this years Europena Capital of Culture).
As well as the United Kingdom being an island itself it is surrounded by a large number of smaller islands (the majority of which are uninhabited). Places like the Isle of White have, for a long time, been popular vacation destinations but more distant islands, such as the Western Isles of Scotland, are becoming incredibly popular. The Western Isles have much to offer that is simply not available elsewhere and their appeal has much to do with the many unique aspects of the islands, which include unique flora and fauna as well as some of the most spectacular scenery in the UK.
As well as the islands being unique they also have some rather confusing qualities too. One of the most frustrating is that, for most people, they are more commonly known as the Outer Hebrides. The Outer Hebrides are widely known as the Gaelic heartland and while the culture on the Isle of Harris, Lewis, Barra, Benbecula and the Uists are truly Gaelic there is also evidence of influences from their Celtic and Norse past (which show through in place names and the likes).
Prehistoric man has left his distinctive mark upon the islands, of the Outer Hebrides, in the form of numerous standing stones and stone circles of varying sizes. The largest stone circle is to be found at Calanais (Callanish) on the Isle of Lewis. The standing stones at Calanais are generally considered to be amongst the most important sites in Europe and they are the only example of a stone circle with avenues (forming the shape of a crucifix). Calanais is a “must see” tourist attraction.
Genealogy is another factor in the recent increases in tourism to the UK, Scotland and the Western Isles. The Scottish people are amongst the most widely traveled peoples in the world and the Hebrideans are amongst the most widely traveled in Scotland. This has resulted in a massive number of people from all around the world being able to trace their roots back to the islands. Will increases in the interest in genealogy many people are choosing to travel to the Outer Hebrides to research their family trees.
There are many reasons why more and more folk are choosing to visit places that were once inaccessible. However the simple fact that they are now easily accessed by road or air (and sometimes rail) is the main reason that there are now a great many people visiting such places. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that places like the Western Isles/Outer Hebrides have not yet been commercialized that makes them such a popular vacation destination but for how long they remain unchanged is uncertain.
Article Tags: Travel & Vacations
Category: Travel & Vacations
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