28th May 2025
What a Cruise Levy Could Mean for Tourism in the North Highlands
In April 2025, along with a welcome appearance from the often-elusive sunshine, the cruise season launched in style. Over 2,600 passengers were welcomed ashore at Scrabster Harbour as the 251-metre-long cruise ship AIDAsol arrived in port from neighbouring Invergordon. Shuttle services transported passengers to Thurso town centre, where a carnival-like atmosphere awaited, supported by the warm, Highland hospitality of our local businesses and dedicated teams of volunteers.
An itinerary of coach tours gave visitors the chance to explore the very best of the region, from the Castle of Mey and John O’Groats to local distilleries and guided tours. As the ship departed across the Pentland Firth, local pipers and Highland dancers wished a fond farewell to passengers – “haste ye back,” as they say.
These return cruise visits represent much more than a fleeting tourism opportunity and are, in truth, the result of sustained investment, strong partnership working, and, of course, our renowned community spirit. Since the arrival of the first cruise ship at Scrabster Harbour in 2004, the region has worked hard to build its reputation as a welcoming destination of choice. The £18 million redevelopment of the St. Ola Pier in 2022 was a significant milestone in this plan, enabling the harbour to accommodate and attract larger vessels and increasing both the frequency and scale of its cruise calls.
For the North Highlands, where tourism is an important but often fragile sector, constrained by seasonality and infrastructure challenges, this growing cruise market plays an significant role in the tourism landscape. They help to diversify income streams, bring increased footfall to our local businesses, create new opportunities and help support employment. Of course, while cruise visitors only experience a snapshot of what the North Highlands has to offer, we hope that the warm, authentic welcome they receive will turn first-time visits into lifelong connections.
However, it’s not all smooth sailing ahead. The Scottish Government’s current consultation on proposals to grant local authorities new powers to impose a cruise ship levy risks unsettling the waters around the coast of the Highlands. While there is clear merit in reinvesting such levies into communities and tourism infrastructure, additional cost burdens would most certainly deter cruise visits to smaller, less established ports like Scrabster.
These proposals seriously risk undermining the years of dedicated work invested in growing Scrabster’s reputation and would place disproportionate strain on peripheral destinations and fragile regions, such as our own in the far North. Rather than introducing a cruise ship levy, the same goals could be achieved through collaborative visitor management approaches and targeted infrastructure funding in cruise destinations.
The consultation remains open for feedback until 30th May 2025, and I encourage local businesses and community members to respond. We must use our voice to ensure our region is fully considered and not inadvertently overlooked in this process.
Business Insight, Ryan Maclean, Trust Manager, Scrabster Harbour
The arrival of each cruise vessel at Scrabster represents more than a maritime milestone, it symbolises the coming together of community, industry, and place. Behind every successful visit lies a significant amount of work: harbour planning, coordinated transport, security arrangements, local business engagement, and volunteer support, all aligned to ensure a smooth and memorable passenger experience.
It’s a collaborative effort that has developed over years and demonstrates what’s possible when a region invests in itself. The 2022 completion of St. Ola Pier was a strategic step forward, enabling Scrabster to host larger vessels like AIDAsol and to provide deeper water berthing options. With each successful call, Caithness strengthens its reputation as a desirable northern port of call, distinct from Scotland’s larger cruise hubs.
For remote communities like ours, the cruise sector is particularly valuable. These visits bring in new revenue, support seasonal employment, and extend the reach of local products and services to global audiences. More importantly, they offer a rare platform to tell our story, our heritage, culture, and natural beauty, to a wide and diverse audience.
However, proposals for a cruise levy present a real risk to this progress. While we understand the intent, the potential unintended consequence is clear: fewer ships choosing smaller ports, where margins are tighter and competition for itineraries is strong. Cruise operators must weigh each stop on economic and logistical grounds. A levy, however modest, could see rural destinations like Scrabster priced off the map in favour of larger, more commercially flexible ports.
Our region cannot afford to lose ground now. We are not resisting change, we are asking that decisions be made with full awareness of how rural ports operate and the fragility of early-stage tourism success.
We support thoughtful, place-based solutions. Sustainable tourism is not achieved through one-size-fits-all levies, but through investment in visitor management, local partnerships, and long-term planning. We remain committed to playing our part and to continuing the progress made so far, but we ask that national policy reflects the unique circumstances of communities like ours.
Let’s ensure Caithness remains open, attractive, and competitive for cruise because the benefit reaches far beyond the quay.
Scottish Government’s Cruise ship levy: consultation is open for feedback until 30th May 2025. Further information can be found online here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/consultation-potential-local-authority-cruise-ship-levy-scotland/