"The deer estates that cover around 1.1 million hectares (14% of the land area) of Scotland today are vanity projects, maintained by wealthy individuals primarily to impress their friends. They cannot make money under any realistic economic analysis, which is why the average duration of ownership of a Highland estate is 17 years, as the owners run out of cash, enthusiasm or both. Yet the money which these individuals invest in their Highland fantasy helps to sustain some 2,500 vital jobs in remote areas. It is estimated that deer-stalking contributes around £105 million a year to the economy, £70.4 million of which stays in Scotland."