Loch Ness Monster has an ever-growing appeal

Tourism businesses in the Highlands are preparing for what is expected to be one of the busiest summers yet by taking on a team of young holidaymakers as Nessie spotters.

Leading cruise operator Loch Ness by Jacobite teamed up with Inverness Airport to surprise passengers arriving for the Easter break with all they need to catch a glimpse of the world’s shyest monster over the holidays, including binoculars, a map and a bag to carry their kit.

An influx in tourists and the warm weather resulted in Loch Ness by Jacobite’s busiest Easter weekend ever, with visitors over the bank holiday up by 65% from 2018.

The activity marks the launch of Jacobite’s summer timetable as well as the introduction of a new year-round British Airways flight route from London to Inverness, which began on 31 March. The extra flight routes and additional sailings form part of the region’s wider response to a recent influx of visitor numbers to Scotland, with overseas vacationers rising by 27%, according to figures released in July 2018 from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Freda Newton MBE, managing director of Loch Ness by Jacobite, said: ‘Following a record-breaking 2018, we’re looking forward to welcoming even more intrepid adventurers to the loch this summer.

‘As we all know, the Loch Ness Monster is notoriously shy, with only a few sightings observed each year. We thought it time to take matters into our own hands by enlisting a team of mini Nessie spotters to help us lure her out of the depths.

‘Assisting the kids in their task will be our on-screen sonar technology which tracks any movement below the surface. This, combined with our specialist kits, means we’ve got our fingers crossed that our new recruits will be successful!’

The Loch Ness Monster is worth an estimated £41m to the Scottish economy, according to research published by chartered accountant Gary Campbell. Recent figures released by the Annual Visitor Trends Report revealed that Loch Ness by Jacobite observed a 9% growth from 2017 – notably higher than the national average of 0.1%, suggesting the region’s popularity shows no signs of slowing.

Graeme Bell, general manager for Inverness Airport, said: ‘The Loch Ness Monster is always difficult to track down but 2019 might be the year when some intrepid young explorers could use their Nessie spotting kits to find her.’