In the never ending search for interesting vacation destination tourists continue to open up new areas to tourism. However there are plenty of highly fascinating areas of the world that have always had a small degree of tourism which more and more people are now discovering to their delight. Also there are a number of vacation destination which were in decline but are now experiencing renewed interest. One of the most interesting places in the world which are seeing a marked increase in tourism are the Western Isles of Scotland.



The first tourist in Great Britain could be said to be those young men who did the "Grand Tour of Europe". Although the main aim of such a trip was to expand the mind, learning about new cultures, art and the likes it was often little more than an opportunity to meet important and/or influential people and have a wonderful time doing so.

As the working classes began to take time off to visit places they usually did so in large numbers to somewhere very local (when their factory or workplace would close for the duration of the vacation). This led to an increase in the number of vacation destinations within easy access of industrial areas. During the 1950s and 60s a number of holiday camps opened in more picturesque places aimed at the domestic market but many people began to look at more exotic destinations. Those people with more money were able to afford to travel to many more places and destinations such as St Kilda in the Western Isles of Scotland became interesting places to visit for small numbers of folk.

With the advent of cheap air travel the number of vacation destinations which could be classed as "affordable" increased dramatically while those domestic holiday camps were unable to compete and fell into decline. In the United Kingdom of Great Britain this led to an incredible number of families visiting Europe where they would spend most of their time on the beaches. As some UK tourist areas fell into decline other areas became more accessible to foreign visitors and Scotland began to see an increase in the number of visitors from America, Canada and Europe (with islands such as the Western Isles steadily increasing in popularity).

While younger tourists still opt for the typical beach and bar vacation destinations more discerning tourists, who understand the dangers of binge drinking and sunburn, tend to look for something a little more educational, inspiring and altogether more cultural. Many of the United Kingdoms' major cities seem to becoming highly popular with tourist with Liverpool being in the vanguard (Liverpool is this years Europena Capital of Culture).

Of all the islands around the United Kingdom some of the most fascinating are to be found amongst the Western Isles of Scotland. These remote islands, found off the west coast of Scotland, are home to many unique species of flora and fauna, many of which are endangered, all set in the most astounding scenery in Scotland, the United Kingdom and, probably, Europe.

As well as the islands being unique they also have some rather confusing qualities too. One of the most frustrating is that, for most people, they are more commonly known as the Outer Hebrides. The Outer Hebrides are widely known as the Gaelic heartland and while the culture on the Isle of Harris, Lewis, Barra, Benbecula and the Uists are truly Gaelic there is also evidence of influences from their Celtic and Norse past (which show through in place names and the likes).

Prehistoric man has left his distinctive mark upon the islands, of the Outer Hebrides, in the form of numerous standing stones and stone circles of varying sizes. The largest stone circle is to be found at Calanais (Callanish) on the Isle of Lewis. The standing stones at Calanais are generally considered to be amongst the most important sites in Europe and they are the only example of a stone circle with avenues (forming the shape of a crucifix). Calanais is a "must see" tourist attraction.

The growth in the Internet has also had an impact in the number of people visiting the Western Isles. Many people now use the Internet to trace their family roots and, as the people from the islands are amongst the most widely traveled in the world, many can trace their families back to Harris, Lewis or one of the other islands (some of which are no longer inhabited). More and more people are visiting the islands to take their research further and to experience the land of the ancestors.

There are many reasons why more and more folk are choosing to visit places that were once inaccessible. However the simple fact that they are now easily accessed by road or air (and sometimes rail) is the main reason that there are now a great many people visiting such places. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that places like the Western Isles/Outer Hebrides have not yet been commercialized that makes them such a popular vacation destination but for how long they remain unchanged is uncertain.