A new report from the National Trust for Scotland has revealed that the St Kilda archipelago requires protection from over-tourism as more people add it to their 'bucket list'.
The historic islands, which are the most western of the Outer Hebrides, were inhabited for more than 2,000 years before its final 36 occupants were evacuated in 1930 due to untenable conditions. It is now a tourist destination, with the now-ruined village on the 'ghost island' of Hirta being the main attraction.
The archipelago is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the few in the world to hold joint status for both its natural and cultural value. While tourism was once encouraged, the National Trust for Scotland has warned that the growing number of visitors amid a rise in day trippers and cruise ship passengers would need to be managed in the future.
The organisation's latest report states: "Visitors should have an extraordinary experience on St Kilda, and tourism presents significant opportunities for economic, social and conservation benefits for the trust and the wider community.
"However, high visitor numbers concentrated in peak periods can have an impact on infrastructure, buildings, habitats and species, as well as the sense of place.
"Current numbers are largely within manageable levels, but we must consider our approach in order to deliver a sustainable future for tourism."
Tourism to the islands began increasing in 2005, following the rise in the number of day trips and cruise ships. Now, numbers are expected to continue rising.
Since 2015, the average number of visitors to St Kilda each year was 5,112, with approximately 58 per cent of them arriving between May and June. Fortunately, according to the report, the location and climate of the islands have spared them from the worst problems of over-tourism.
It continued: "We are therefore ideally placed to be pro-active in our approach to this potential issue, to ensure a sustainable future for visitors.
"Over the next ten years, we will work to lessen the negative impacts and promote the positive benefits of tourism, managing St Kilda as an exemplar of sustainable tourism."
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