Tourist attraction visitor numbers soar but remain below pre-pandemic levels

Overall visitor numbers to some of Scotland’s most popular attractions are still 16% lower than pre-pandemic numbers despite a surge last year after Covid restrictions eased.

Sites across Scotland recorded more than 48.6 million visitors – up 53.5% from 2021 as many venues ended restrictions such as advance booking according to figures from Glasgow Caledonian University.

Edinburgh Castle saw a 217.6% surge in visitor numbers jumping to 1.3 million in 2022.

Also in Edinburgh, the National Museum of Scotland remained the number one free attraction with numbers increasing by 198.7% to 1.9 million visitors.

But overall numbers are still 16% down on pre-pandemic levels.

Paid entry attractions saw more than 15 million (15,053,896) visitors across Scotland in 2022, up 63.2% on the previous year.

Free venues welcomed over 33.6 million (33,621,735) visitors last year compared to 22.4 million (22,490,582) in 2021 – an increase of 49.5%.

Visitor numbers at Stirling Castle were up 181.4% to 418,180 and at Urquhart Castle in the Highlands, numbers rose by 233.6% to 357,154.

Glasgow attractions Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, and the Riverside Museum, posted increased visitor numbers of 237% and 275% respectively.

The Burrell Collection, which reopened last year after a £66 million revamp, recorded 482,984 visits.

Professor John Lennon, Director of the Moffat Centre for Travel and Tourism at Glasgow Caledonian University, said: “This survey evidences a recovering visitor attraction market dominated by domestic demand.

“Scottish visitor attractions face a very daunting trading environment characterised by cost inflation and labour shortages – problems that have been slow to abate. Recovery is likely to continue but will remain highly dependent upon UK customers for the medium term.”

Gordon Morrison, chief executive of the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions (ASVA), said: “Whilst it is encouraging to see somewhat of a recovery for the attractions sector, performance in 2022 was quite patchy.

“Not all operators enjoyed a successful year, and with visitor numbers still considerably down on pre-pandemic levels, there is a long way to go before we can talk of a full sector-wide recovery.

“Concerns about what the ongoing cost-of-living crisis will mean for visitation and spend remain for many.”

ASVA is calling on the UK and Scottish Governments to take further action to support the industry in the face of rising costs and to revisit any policy decisions that may increase the financial burden on business.

Small business minister Richard Lochhead said: “These latest figures are very positive and show the resilience of the tourism sector as it recovers from a global pandemic and other challenges such as the ongoing staff shortages as a result of Brexit.

“The tourism and hospitality sector plays a crucial role in the contribution of a wellbeing economy by creating jobs and sustaining communities.”