Comment by MP of Europe’s No 1 Island – Lewis and Harris

Commenting on the TripAdvisor’s Top 10 European islands, which has placed Lewis and Harris at Number 1, Na h-Eileanan an Iar SNP MP, Angus MacNeil said:

Amhuinnsuidhe

“This is yet another fantastic accolade for Lewis and Harris who had its first documented visitor in 325BC, a Greek named Pytheas, who doubtless saw a better island than he was used to in the Mediterranean . Lewis and Harris has remained a well kept secret ever since, with the impressive stones at Callanish, which are older than Stonehenge, the magnificent scenery of the Uig/Bernera area, where the Lewis Chessmen were found – the oldest chess set in the world – or the Castle at Amhuinnsuidhe at Harris or indeed the beaches and the Fjords of the East Coast from Harris to Lochs, TripAdvisor has to be congratulated for spotting Europe’s top island.

“Lewis and Harris is a good place socially, Stornoway and Tarbert could almost be twinned with Galway in the West of Ireland for atmosphere. The most important thing to make a place are its people, who are both friendly and humorous in equal measure. This is a good recognition of the skills and welcome by those who work in the hospitality industry to those visiting the islands and I congratulate them for that. This is a real boost for everyone involved in the tourism industry, who continue to do a fantastic job in promoting our islands.

“It is good that visitor numbers have increased by 27% over the past six years and I would like to think that there is a direct link, between the benefits of RET for cars and passengers and this discovery and accolade by TripAdvisor. In this important year for Scotland 2014, people could find no better place to go for a “Staycation” than Lewis and Harris and the wider Outer Hebrides.”

“Finally, for those wanting to visit Europe’s No 1 island, there are flights daily to Stornoway from Scotland’s four main cities, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness, (who are main cities probably because they are connected to Lewis and Harris by air) and of course ferries to Stornoway and Tarbert, from Ullapool and Uig in Skye respectively.

ENDS

Notes: TripAdvisor’s Top 10 European islands