The popularity of Scottish destinations for the world's cruise liner operators continues to grow, with another record-breaking cruise season in prospect next year from Shetland to the Clyde and Forth.

It means more than a doubling of the number of cruise calls and passengers in less than a decade.

This year was the seventh successive 'best-yet' season when there were 676 visits by cruise ships, up 35 per cent on 2015 and bringing around 484,000 passengers, an increase of 5.3 per cent.

Ports and their hinterlands around mainland Scotland and the islands shared a market with an estimated value of almost £56 million in 2016.

But already there are 808 ships, including more large vessels, booked to call in 2017, up 19.5 per cent on 2016, with an anticipated 35 per cent -plus jump in the number of passengers to around 656,000. A number of cruise lines are returning with more calls next year when the annual value to the Scottish economy is expected to reach more than £72.5 million.

Cruise Scotland Chairman, Andrew Hemphill, commented: “The expectations for next year will mean that since 2010, the organisation’s first full year, ship numbers, passengers and their spend will all have more than doubled.

“The continuing growth in the record numbers now visiting shows the increasing popularity of Scotland as a hugely exciting destination. The statistics demonstrate marketing is working and there is increasing appreciation among cruise operators and passengers of Scotland’s many and varied attractions which deliver fantastic visitor experiences."

Next year’s bumper season should mean that, in the 2010-2017 period, cruise ship arrivals will have increased 119 per cent from 342 to 808 calls and passenger numbers up 144 per cent from 268,481 to 656,510, for a total value of around £400 million over the period.

Umbrella body Cruise Scotland’s marketing programme includes a return to Seatrade Cruise Global, the industry’s premier conference and exhibition, in Florida in March, 2017.