Badges showing the images of Liberal Democrats at Aviemore

Scottish Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats and the SNP are regular visitors to Aviemore.

Tourism body, VisitScotland, said two conferences held last year generated �1,189,500 for the local economy.

Jonathan Gatenby, secretary of Aviemore Business Association, said the events were coveted and the benefits filtered down to small shops and hotels.

The Scottish Liberal Democrat Party held its spring conference in the town from Friday, while Scottish Labour will stage its in March.

The arrival of political party conferences in the last few years has been of significant impact to the local economy Jonathan Gatenby Aviemore Business Association

VisitScotland's business tourism unit estimated this would bring an income to match that of the Liberal Democrats and Nationalist conferences held in February and October 2007.

Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort, which provides the conference venue, has also produced estimates on the economic benefits to the area.

It said it hosted about 2,000 delegates during the SNP conference, which the hotel said generated more than �750,000.

Last year's Liberal Democrat conference drew about 1,400 people and with them spending of more than �500,000 locally.

Mr Gatenby said the events filled the gap between the end of the winter sports season and the start of the summer holidays.

'Beautiful scenery'

He said: "The arrival of political party conferences in the last few years has been of significant impact to the local economy.

"It filters down to smaller businesses and shops in the town and it's not just the big hotels that get the cream."

In the event's programme, Danny Alexander, MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, welcomed delegates to his home town.

He commented on why so many parties are drawn to the area.