Visit Scotland | Alba
Article published 15/11/2024

It's just over one year since the Glasgow 2030 Tourism Strategy was launched, with the aim of growing the value of tourism in the city by delivering for visitors, businesses, communities and the environment. Within this first year, partners and industry across the city have worked together to deliver the strategy and continue to develop the city as a culturally rich destination with an unrivalled visitor experience.

In this article, watch the Glasgow Life video update showcasing a flavour of the key contributions from the many partners helping to shape the city's vibrant visitor economy. We also share examples of how VisitScotland is playing its part to deliver the strategy so that tourism continues to be a force for good, creating jobs and enriching communities across the city region. 

What is the Glasgow 2030 Tourism Strategy?

Launched in October 2023, the strategy sets out a framework for the city's visitor economy ambitions. It aligns with the national tourism strategy Scotland Outlook 2030 and sets out five strategic priorities:

  • Increase the value of tourism to Glasgow's economy 
  • Enhance the experiences that we offer
  • Create value for Glasgow's people through the tourism sector
  • Support vibrant places across the city and surrounding region
  • Deliver tourism in a sustainable and inclusive way

To read the full strategy, go to the VisitGlasgow website.

VisitGlasgow website

Glasgow 2030 Tourism Strategy One Year On video

VisitScotland's Glasgow activity

According to Scottish Tourism Economic Impact Model (Steam) data for 2023, Glasgow welcomed 3.91 million overnight visitors, contributing £2.35 billion to the city’s economy. Across that year, the city’s tourism sector also supported over 37,000 local full-time jobs across areas including food and drink, transport, shopping and accommodation.  

To inspire and encourage visitors to choose Glasgow as a destination, and help businesses across the city to provide a first-class visitor experience, teams across our organisation from our industry teams to marketing and PR, email and social media, and travel trade and insights, deliver activity in line wit the Glasgow Tourism Strategy. Read on for just a few examples of this activity. 

Destination Marketing Activity

We've delivered several global marketing campaigns to key global markets where Glasgow has featured including: 

  • partnership activity with Expedia across 2023 and 2024 targeting UK and US visitors which highlighted Glasgow and encouraged bookings 

  • a partnership with Skyscanner from January - March 2024 for our German and French markets with Glasgow featuring on the landing page 

  • a partnership with Nat Geo & Disney from January to March 2024 spotlighting Disney’s Scottish inspirations. Several Glasgow locations including George Square and St Vincent Street were featured.  

  • social media and Skyscanner activity during the Euros in summer 2024 targeting the German market with Glasgow locations such as Ashton Lane and football stadiums featured. 

National Geographic article mentioning Glasgow's filming locations for Indiana Jones

PR Activity

Our PR activity is another important tool to promote Glasgow and Scotland to key markets.

In 2024, our team generated coverage for Glasgow in many international publications for markets including the UK, North America, Europe, China and Australia. This included standalone articles about the city, as well as mentions in round-up articles. Take a look at just a small selection of the coverage in 2024: 

  • a travel segment dedicated to Glasgow on popular German breakfast programme ZDF Volle Kanne 

  • France’s number one public broadcaster TF1 covered the World Pipe Band Championships 

  • Canadian travel outlet Modern Traveller published a city portrait, highlighting Glasgow’s music roots, shopping scene, cultural attractions, restaurants and green space. 

Owned channels

VisitScotland’s own digital channels – VisitScotland.com, social media and our email marketing – are another way we support city tourism messaging across the year and promote key Glasgow events.  

  • Visitors can also sign up to our ‘Scotland newsletter clan’ where they’ll receive Scotland inspiration directly to their inbox, with regular content featuring all that Glasgow has to offer as a must-visit destination. Sign up for the newsletter

  • Our multimedia teams have captured Glasgow content which can be used by partners and industry via our Media Toolkit. Take a look at a few examples. 

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Getting businesses travel trade ready

With more than half of international visitors using travel intermediaries (tour operators and travel agents) to book their trips, helping businesses to become travel trade ready and reach new audiences is a key area of work for us. 

Our flagship travel trade workshop event, VisitScotland Connect, allows businesses to showcase their products and experiences to tour operators, travel advisors and Destination Management Companies to generate future business. At our 2024 event, 32 businesses from across Glasgow City Region attended the event. 

 

Learn more about our VisitScotland Connect 2025 event. 

 

This year, our team also partnered with Glasgow Life to run an ‘Introduction to travel trade’ workshop at Glasgow’s St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art. The session offered valuable guidance on effective product distribution, key market trends and insights, and strategies to reach global audiences. 

34 businesses attended from across the tourism sector who now can get started on their own journey to developing tailored products and experiences that cater to international audiences.  

Learn more about working with travel trade. 

Responsible tourism support

We want Scotland to be at the forefront of tackling the climate emergency and be recognised globally as a leading sustainable tourism destination.

As well as providing advice and resources on our website VisitScotland.org, we also work closely with our regional partners such as Glasgow Life to deliver targeted support for the tourism and events industry to help navigate the journey to net zero. 

This year, we supported a Glasgow Life webinar for tourism and events businesses, sharing information on our Climate Impact Guide, available online to help businesses understand how to reduce their emissions.

 

Go to our Climate Impact Guide

VisitScotland is committed to playing its part in driving Glasgow’s visitor economy, helping to shape and grow the city’s reputation as a must-visit, year-round destination with world-class tourism products and experiences on offer for every visitor.

The team effort from partners and industry across the city in delivering the first year of Glasgow’s Tourism Strategy and Action Plan demonstrates the commitment to developing an unrivalled visitor experience that encourages repeat bookings.

With much to look forward to in the coming years, including a major milestone in Glasgow 850 next year, and more international events with the Commonwealth Games in 2026 and Euros in 2028, we look forward to seeing how the city goes from strength to strength as a leading sustainable tourism destination.

Lynne Cooper, Regional Director for Glasgow, VisitScotland

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