Aberdeen and Inverness stayed among the UK’s top 20 most popular destinations for overseas visitors in 2015, new figures show.
But while the Highland capital enjoyed an increase in visits, the Granite City’s figures moved in the wrong direction, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Overseas residents made 217,000 trips to Aberdeen in 2015 – staying at least one night – compared to 241,000 in 2014.
It puts the city in 19th place, down three spots from 2014.
Earnings from visits to Europe’s energy capital came in at £95million last year compared with £132million in 2014.
Business trips to Aberdeen fell 23% to 86,000 last year. Despite the slide, two in five visits to Aberdeen were for work purposes, more than any other category.
Steve Harris, chief executive of destination marketing body VisitAberdeenshire, said the drop off in business travellers was to be expected in light of the oil and gas downturn.
Mr Harris said videoconferencing and teleconferencing were helping companies scale back on travel costs.
But he was encouraged by Aberdeen’s top 20 placing and said there were signs the free fall is bottoming out.
He said the decline in demand for hotel rooms in April was small compared to the same month in 2015, while weekend occupancy was up for the first time in a year.
Furthermore, Aberdeen’s leisure tourism figures had remained steady year-on-year.
Mr Harris said the outcome was “testament to the excellent service provided by the region’s accommodation providers and attractions, which continue to appeal to visitors from across the globe”.
Inverness climbed one place to 13th in the rankings thanks to a 21% rise in visits to 316,000, of which 87% were for holidaymaking.
The jump in arrivals provided a boost for the economy, as people from abroad spent £79million in Inverness, which is £16million more than in 2014.
Scott Armstrong, VisitScotland’s director for the Highlands, said: “These figures confirm that tourism is very much leading economic transformation in the Highlands, generating economic success and growth opportunities by showcasing the very best of what the region has to offer.
“The recent announcement of new air routes to and from Inverness by major airlines KLM and British Airways will also ensure the city is more connected than ever before – giving the highlands a louder voice within key markets.”
Visits to Scotland from overseas went down 4% to 2.59million in 2015, while tourism expenditure decreased 8% to £1.7billion.
However, combined spending by overseas and domestic tourists in Scotland grew 5% to almost £5billion.
Domestic tourists spent £400million more last year than in 2014.
Scottish Tourism Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “It is encouraging that spending from domestic visitors has increased despite the industry operating in a challenging environment.”
