Scotland’s cruise industry in good health

The event, organised by CruiseForth, examined trends in cruise tourism, with input from Liz Gammon, Seatrade Cruise expedition ambassador, on the growth of the expedition market and the opportunities for Scotland, Sirle Arro on the collaborative work undertaken to promote Baltic Ports to cruise lines, and from SCOTO’s Carron Tobin whose work in Scotland supports rural communities to work constructively with the growth in tourism.

With over 80 delegates in attendance, feedback described 'inspiring day with engaging discussions and valuable insights', noted CruiseForth’s Peter Wilson.

Busiest cruise season so far

2024 has been another year of growth for cruise ship calls around Scotland’s ports, with the season extending well into November. Looking forward, 2025 promises new cruise line calls at Scottish ports, while at an industry level there is growth in both the size of vessels, and ships in the luxury and expedition sectors.

Cruise Scotland lists 13 ports, 4 associate and 2 service providers and estimates welcoming in excess of 1m cruise passengers in 2024, making this year the busiest so far.