ScotRail boosts tourism in Glasgow and the Clyde Valley by £168.2 million every year and supports 5203 jobs, a study shows.

A report by the Fraser Of Allander Institute said the scale of the railway company's contribution to the Scottish tourist industry soars to £1.22 billion every year, providing 37,721 jobs.

The lucrative West Highland Line, which runs from Glasgow to Mallaig via Oban and Fort William, keeps 8432 people in work.

The Institute, part of Strathclyde University, also looked at the operator's role in future events, such as this month's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Ryder Cup at Glen­eagles in September.

It says substantial new rail investment has taken place due to Glasgow 2014 - and that ScotRail expects to provide 1.1 million journeys for people attending the Games events this month and next.

Ryan James, owner of Glasgow's Two Fat Ladies restaurant and chairman of the Glasgow Restaurant Assoc­iation, said: "Rail services play a very significant part in the success of our business.

"While tourist visitors are very important to us, many of our customers live in and around Glasgow and quality rail links are, therefore, vital in bringing people into the city."

A total of 42m people travelled on ScotRail trains for leisure trips throughout the country during 2012, the study said.

Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown welcomed the report and said the country's railways were "enjoying a massive resurgence in popularity".

He said: "We want to capitalise on the undoubted potential for tourism across the many routes and encourage operators to come forward with proposals to promote and facilitate the development of tourism using the rail network."

janice.burns@ eveningtimes.co.uk