AN increasing number of visitors can now find a place to holiday in Lanarkshire.

The area can now accommodate 12 percent more visitors.

New findings show that there has been a significant increase in accommodation provision for visitors, with the number of beds available now nearly 8,000.

This coincides with evidence of an increasing number of visitors to south-west Scotland in recent years according to research agency TNS, with occupancy rates in hotels, hostels, and self-service accommodation on the rise.

Commissioned by North Lanarkshire Council on behalf of both North and South Lanarkshire Councils the Tourism Accommodation Audit shows there has been a 12 per cent increase in the amount of bed-space in the region since 1999, the last time a study of this scale was conducted.

Bed space is now estimated to accommodate 7,862 sleepers at any one time across all types of visitor accommodation from branded hotels such as Hilton Strathclyde, Macdonald Crutherland House, Westerwood Q Hotels and Holiday Inn Express to independent hotels such as New Lanark Mill and a range of guest houses and B&B’s. The research also shows that 84 per cent of bed stock comes from the serviced sector such as hotels and 16 per cent from the non-serviced sector such as self-service apartments.

In total there are 3,069 bedrooms available across Lanarkshire, which has quadrupled from 532 in 1999. Of these, North Lanarkshire makes up 1,265 while South Lanarkshire offers 1,804 rooms.

Hotels account for more than two in every three (69 per cent) bedrooms available while self-catered accommodation accounts for 8 per cent.

Part of the study includes research conducted by TNS for VisitScotland which shows that in Glasgow and the Clyde Valley occupancy rates increased significantly from 2012 to 2014 across the majority of tourist accommodation options.

Chairman of the Lanarkshire Area Tourism Partnership Mark Calpin; said: “We want Lanarkshire to be one of UK’s tourism hot spots and following a year of hosting events such as the triathlon at Strathclyde Country Park as part of the Commonwealth Games and the Pearl Izumi Tour Series in Motherwell, Lanarkshire has proved itself as a world class destination.

"The fact we can now accommodate more visitors is really encouraging as guaranteeing visitors can find somewhere suitable to stay is central to making this ambition happen.

“We want those considering a holiday to know that Lanarkshire is ready to welcome them with a great place to rest their weary head at the end of a day of sight-seeing.”