Between 1790 and 1840 Scotland's Highlands and Islands saw a rise in the number of travellers due to transportation changes, war on the Continent, and popular fiction. Consequently, the number of inns increased in response to this shift in local travel patterns and influx of visitors. By examining where the growth in inns happened, who managed them, and what services were offered, this article argues that the Highlands and Islands economy was both complex and commercial. It establishes that rural women were innkeepers of multifaceted hospitality operations responding to market demands and enabling economic diversity in their communities, the result of which was the hospitality infrastructure for tourism.
