The Scottish Government said there was an 11% increase in trips to Scotland by international travelers in the 12 months to the end of June 2017 — with spending rising by 19% to more than £2 billion.

Visitors from North America spent £732 million in the 12 months to the end of June, a 48% jump compared to £495 million in the previous 12 months.

There was a 38% increase in visits from North America, with more than 707,000 choosing Scotland.

Tourism Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “The continued rise in overseas tourists is encouraging.

“They are spending more too, particularly those coming from North America.

“It is great news for our economy.

“Scotland offers an memorable visitor experience for people that choose our country as their holiday destination.”

VisitBritain said international visits to Scotland in the first half of the year were up 14% to a record 1.3 million, with spend setting another record of £956 million, up 35% on the same time last year.