​Boom time for Scottish tourism brings major boost to economy - Angus Robertson

Fireworks from the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle – still in the top spot as the country’s most popular paid-for attraction –  at last year’s Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Tourism in Scotland has hit an all-time high. Marking the end of the pandemic downturn, visitor numbers did not merely nudge past the previous record level but passed it by a colossal 15 per cent.

​Almost 4 million people chose to visit our country, up from the pre-pandemic 3.7 million according to new research from the International Passenger Survey by the Office of National Statistics.

This is particularly impressive given Scotland was the only part of the UK to see record levels of tourism growth last year – fantastic news for the Scottish tourism and hospitality sector.

Incoming Visit Scotland CEO Vicki Miller said that the figures were a "significant milestone,” estimating that just under 20 per cent of visitors to Scotland come from international markets.

"That 19 per cent from international markets is really important in terms of spend because they stay longer and typically spend more. It accounts for 46 per cent of the value of tourism to Scotland,” she said.

Malcolm Roughead, the outgoing VisitScotland chief executive, said: “These figures mark a turning point for tourism in Scotland, showing not only recovery but crucially growth in international visitors with number of visits and spend now above 2019 levels.

“Our international visitors are hugely important to Scotland’s tourism industry, as well as the wider economy. They often stay longer and spend more, generating several billions of pounds annually, supporting a wide range of businesses, jobs and communities across the country.”

The amount tourists spend in Scotland has also shot up. Indeed, £3.5 billion was spent across the country, compared with £2.5bn in 2019. That’s an astronomical rise of 41 per cent and a real boost to local and national economies.

The increase in tourist numbers coming from across the world is consistent. Travellers from North America were up by 16 per cent; Europe up by 19 per cent and those from the rest of the world – including China and Australia – rose by 53 per cent. This is reflected in the aviation sector, too. New routes and more frequent flights from various carriers are better connecting us to the USA, Canada, the UAE and China.

Scotland’s most popular tourist attractions are located in central Edinburgh, with Edinburgh Castle still in the top spot as the country’s most popular paid-for attraction, with visitor numbers increasing 41.5 per cent in 2023 to 1,904,723. The nation’s number one free attraction remains the National Museum of Scotland with numbers increasing 10.8 per cent to 2,186,841.

During the same period, the National Galleries of Scotland saw a 43.8 per cent increase to 1,836,057, while St Giles Cathedral - was up 37.6 per cent to 1,473,211. Meanwhile Scotland’s most popular whisky tourist attraction has been confirmed as the Johnnie Walker Experience on Princes Street welcomed 359,000 people in 2023.

In other great news for Scotland in general and Edinburgh in particular, Scotland continues to be the most attractive place for financial services foreign direct investment (FDI) outside London. Of the nine financial services projects recorded in Scotland, five were in Edinburgh

After years of UK Tory government austerity, which is seriously impacting on Scottish public services and the major hit of the Covid pandemic, it is great to see such positive news in key sectors, including tourism and financial services. Major thanks to Visit Scotland, Scotland the Brand, Scottish Development International and Scottish Financial Enterprise in helping to drive the positive trends.