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Visit Scotland | Alba

Overview

  • The Scottish Visitor Attraction Monitor is solely owned and distributed by the Moffat Centre, Glasgow Caledonian University.

  • They have given us permission to publish extracts from their annual report.

  • 616 attraction operators provided total visit figures for both years 2023 and 2022.

  • Are you interested in participating in the survey or subscribing to the full publication? Please email info@moffatcentre.com.

1. Executive summary

  • Total visits to Scottish attractions in 2023 recorded an increase of 17.2% when compared to 2022. Total visits recorded were 48,685,638.
  • Visits to free Scottish attractions also saw an increase of 16.6% in 2023 compared to 2022 (30,605,269).
  • Visits to paid Scottish attractions rose by 18.2% in 2023 compared to 2022 (18,080,369).

© Moffat Centre, Glasgow Caledonian University

2. Top ten paid attractions (2023)

Paid attraction Visits in 2023 Region
Edinburgh Castle 1,904,723 Edinburgh
Edinburgh Zoo 618,719 Edinburgh
Edinburgh Bus Tours 605,881 Edinburgh
Stirling Castle 517,299 Stirling
Urquhart Castle 422,761 Highlands
The Scotch Whisky Experience 401,308 Edinburgh
Camera Obscura and World of Illusions 376,470 Edinburgh
The Royal Yacht Britannia 361,175 Edinburgh
The Glasgow Science Centre 350,441 Glasgow
Culzean Castle and Country Park 291,674 Ayrshire

3. Top ten free attractions (2023)

Free attraction Visits in 2023 Region
National Museum of Scotland 2,186,841 Edinburgh
National Galleries Scotland: National 1,836,057 Edinburgh
St Giles' Cathedral 1.473,211 Edinburgh
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum 1,283,882 Glasgow
Riverside Musuem 1,184,160 Glasgow
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 1,041,391 Edinburgh
Loch Lomond Shores 1,032,442 Argyll
National War Musuem 773,213 Edinburgh
Glenfinnan Monument 540,853 Highlands
Gallery of Modern Art 510,936 Glasgow

(Top 10 free admission attractions does not include country park attractions)

© Moffat Centre, Glasgow Caledonian University

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