They’ve ticked Skye and the island’s picturesque Fairy Pools from their bucket list and created road chaos in the process.

Now it seems flocks of tourists have their sights set on Scotland’s other island beauty spots.

New figures show the Outer Hebrides has seen a staggering tourism boom, with a 54 per cent jump in leisure visitors since 2013.

The 2017 Islands Visitor Survey reveals tourism is now worth nearly £65m a year to the Western Isles, with visitors spending a third more per head than they did just five years ago.

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Last year there were almost 220,000 visitors to the islands, 68 per cent of them holidaymakers who spent an average of £344 each during their visit.

But while 82 per cent said they were “very satisfied” with their visit, citing friendly locals and high-quality accommodation, the lack of adequate digital connections such as mobile phone signals received a ‘thumbs down’ from travellers.

The findings have sparked calls for new investment in infrastructure to help maximise the tourism boost, and a fresh focus on ferry services to help maximise the potential.

Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne recently warned that challenges with its ageing fleet could lead to widespread summer disruption, with Western Isles routes already hit by problems. A Transport Scotland study into the future of ferry links for the Western Isles is currently underway. Its findings are expected at the end of the year.

Comhairle Leader, Cllr Roddie MacKay, said: “The findings of this survey are very welcome and encouraging. However, in order to sustain and develop the success of the tourism industry, the islands require excellent transportation links, not only for the economy but for the people who live and work here.

“We need to particularly look at the robustness and the capacity of the ferry services to maximise the potential that tourism offers for the islands.”

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The leap in Western Isles tourism appears to reflect the dramatic rise in visitors to other island destinations such as Skye. Roads there were clogged with summer visitors last summer, sparking debate over whether the island had reached saturation point and leading to calls for greater investment in infrastructure and the possible introduction of a tourist tax.

According to Norma Macritchie, assistant manager at the County Hotel in Stornoway, Lewis is already approaching capacity during the peak of summer, with many visitors who attempt to reach the island being turned away before they arrive.

“There’s been a real increase in phone calls from people who want to book, but we are full year on year. “We have to tell visitors to go elsewhere.

“There’s a real need for investment but it has to be balanced. There’s no point spending a lot of money for visitors who are only here from May until September,” she added.

The 2017 Islands Visitor Survey showed 19 per cent of Western Isles visitors were there for business, while a further 12 per cent were visiting friends and relatives. The average spend per capita of visitors was £309, up from £245 in 2013, and was higher among leisure visitors.

Overall the estimated value from tourism spend in the Outer Hebrides in 2017 of £64.5m - and increase of 20 per cent from £53.5m in 2013.

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According to the report, visitor praised the quality and value for money of visitor attractions. The quality of local food produce, arts and crafts also received praise.

While 55 per cent of visitors travelled from elsewhere in Scotland, 28 per cent were from the rest of the UK, 16 per cent from Europe and North America accounted for six per cent.

The figures could be boosted if plans for a Scottish Islands Passport scheme gather pace. Highland and Islands Transport Partnership (Hitrans) is considering a plan that would see tourists given a guide to the islands and a passport which would be stamped for each one they visit.

The organisation, whose members include Argyll and Bute, Highland, Orkney and Western Isles councillors, has aid it hopes to emulate the success of Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way. It is the world's longest defined coastal touring route, and has a passport scheme.

Cllr Donald Crichton, Chairman of the Western Isles Council's Sustainable Development Committee, said: "The potential of tourism to create employment, generate income and retain population in the Outer Hebrides has been recognised for some time; however it is only in recent years, with a truly strategic and co-ordinated approach from stakeholders, that significant growth has been achieved.

“The findings of the survey are extremely welcome and encouraging, demonstrating that the region is on-course to achieve the ambitious sectoral targets outlined in the Tourism Outer Hebrides 2020 Strategy.”