Inverness business leaders have their say on tourism season as one claims it’s ‘not very easy to survive’.

Business owners have had mixed results throughout the busy season in the Highland capital, with most reporting an increase during the winter months.

Inverness business owners seen another tourism season come and go, but did it meet expectations?

Visitors have an impact on numerous Inverness enterprises, including High Street stores and cafes, taxis, tours, and hotels.

And with a longer tourism season than recent years, all eyes are on how the numbers add up.

Quieter peak months, more UK-based visitors, and summer weather have all been hot topics among Inverness business leaders.

‘October was busier than June’

Sarah Mackenzie runs Triquerta Crafts in the Victorian Market with mum Marnie.

The business offers crafts from 130 local artistsand many more crafters want to be “part of the Triquerta family”.

She feels the tourist season has “been amazing” in general and sees so many people who want to take something locally made back to their home.

She said: “In general, it is fantastic. Inverness has become even more of a destination than before.

“We’ve seen a lot of people from the UK and Scotland coming here as well as those from further afield. It’s just been incredible.

“Months you wouldn’t expect to be as busy have actually been the busier ones.

“I was speaking to friends who have a business and they were saying October was busier than June. That isn’t something which we’ve seen before.

“We’re so lucky because people know that they’re bringing back a souvenir which was made locally.”

Inverness tourist shop boss on footfall struggles

House of Highlands store manager Connie Biki hopes a slower summer season is not a sign of things to come, believing it will cause struggles for businesses if so.

The shop on Inverness High Street sells Scottish clothing and accessories, including kilts, tartan, and tweed garments.

Mr Biki said: “It’s been quite good, but not too much. We saw a big difference on sales in the summertime.

“In June, July and August – Inverness wasn’t that busy compared with other years.

“The season is being prolonged, but this is the first time I’ve seen this happen. “I cannot guarantee that this will be available in the future.

Maybe we will, and if that is the case next year, I will be very happy. “But on days like this, it’s quite quiet. And if this trend continues, firms will struggle to survive.

Inverness city centre cafe boss on ‘great’ tourism

Azhar Khan, the proprietor of Ember Kafe, has seen his first summer season in Inverness come and go since it opened in September 2024.

He believes it has been a “great summer” and that tourists are satisfied as long as they have much to do. He stated, “Scotland is always among the top countries on must-visit lists.

“We’ve had consumers from over 180 different nations and every state in the United States.

“That’s a lot in 12 months. This was our first summer, and while I know some people aren’t as happy as others, we had a terrific time.

“The season begins earlier and ends later; we have seen more individuals throughout the cooler months of the year.

“People want an experience when they visit somewhere, not just what you can see but learn something or do something themselves.”

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