Given Oban’s spectacular harbour area and coastline, and its proximity to the Scottish islands, the harbour is well placed to benefit from an increased in the lucrative cruise and marine tourism trade. A sustained series of investments by Argyll and Bute Council aims to ensure that Oban succeeds in this goal. The overall impact of the sailing market in Scotland by itself is estimated to be worth around £300 million today, while sailing tourism is expected to grow by as much as 45 per cent over the next decade.
The potential prize for the Council and the region is significant. Even at current spending levels that level of increased visits could generate as much as an extra £45 million for local economies, including that of Argyll and Bute.
The Council is investing in a new Visitors Centre at the port, which provides much needed facilities, such as showers for visiting yachtsmen and women. It has also given the go-ahead to an ambitious new Oban Transit Berthing Facility to be located near the North Pier at Oban.
This will see a series of pontoons being constructed in Oban harbour which will make it much easier for passengers being brought by tender from cruise liners anchored in the harbour. This will make a total of 36 new berths available both to visiting yachts and for tenders.
Some £7 million was invested in 2012 to improve the pier at Campbeltown. This generated recent success – Campbeltown had its first large cruise ship call at the port last year.
It was a 150-metre cruise ship leased by the National Trust, and it brought 600 visitors into the town, which gave considerable encouragement to the Council. The cruise industry is noted for talking among itself and one successful visit leads to others. There is already one further call booked and more are expected.
The Council has some 39 ports, harbours and piers in its portfolio, with the two main ports being those of Oban and Campbeltown. Each year it spends around £1 million on maintenance and improvements.
However, the Council is now formulating an ambitious, 10 year Asset Management master plan that will enable it to take a more strategic long term view of its ports and harbours, instead of simply dealing with issues as they arise.
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