With just 10 weeks to go until the 150th Open Championship tees off in St Andrews, accommodation is being snapped up.
But despite expectations of a record 290,000-strong crowd, rooms are still available in and around St Andrews.
These include an eye-watering £30,000 three-night stay at a luxury apartment overlooking the Old Course, right down to budget-friendly house-shares.
Moira Henderson, chairwoman of the Fife Tourism Partnership, says the reason for the late availability is unclear.
But she believes Covid is unlikely to be a factor given the high number of tickets sold.
As well as spectators, officials, golfers and the media all need rooms during the prestigious event, running from July 14 to 17.
And many are still looking – according to Airbnb, searches for accommodation in St Andrews during The Open are up 250% compared to the last six months.
However, Moira says many people are booking shorter stays than normal.
Specialist rental companies began appealing for accommodation for the Open Championship last year.
And scores of local people came forward to open up their homes.
From luxury to budget: Some of the accommodation on offer
The average nightly prices of accommodation during the tournament is £1,506.
And among the more expensive offerings is the 16th Century, seven-bedroom Fernie Castle near Letham, nine miles from St Andrews.
It includes a double room set in a treehouse and will set you back £55,000 for a week.
Or those who prefer to be closer to the action can try the luxurious Hamilton Grand.
The prominent red sandstone building overlooks the 18th hole of the Old Course and a two-bed apartment there is available for £30,186 for three nights.
Meanwhile, a two-bed listed property on the remains of Greyfriar’s Friary in St Andrews is listed for £17,500.
But those with a more modest budget may wish to look further afield.
The Open Accommodation Bureau works with the R&A to keep up with demand for rooms.
And it has properties in Fife starting from £3,500.
You could also try Booking.com, which has a seaside caravan in Elie for £3,000 for three nights.
Or there is a double room available in a shared Dundee apartment for £537.
Demand for Open Championship accommodation is high
As well as her role with Fife Tourism Partnership, Moira has her own holiday accommodation for wheelchair users.
She is still getting inquiries and bookings.
But she said: “They are for two or three nights, where previously we would have seen longer stays being booked.
“I think the ballot system has had an impact on how visitors are booking.”
She added: “Demand for tickets for the Open Golf Championship was very high and we know many of these ticket holders are travelling over 100 miles to attend.
“We assume they will all have to stay somewhere.
“There is still limited accommodation available across Fife, giving visitors who haven’t yet secured their accommodation the opportunity to book something to suit their needs.”
Research suggests the tournament will bring a total of £200 million in economic benefit to Scotland.
And accommodation providers are among those set to gain.
