Travellers have visited heritage attractions across Scotland in record numbers after the sites featured in major movie productions.
Data compiled by the Moffat Centre at Glasgow Caledonian University and the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions (ASVA) revealed a 3.9 per cent increase in visitors to attractions in 2024, with a total of 49,708,483.
Edinburgh Castle, a prominent backdrop in Netflix's version of One Day, maintained its position as Scotland's most frequented paid attraction. Visitor numbers climbed by four per cent to an impressive 1,981,152.
Other historical sites also witnessed significant growth. Culloden Visitor Centre saw a remarkable 42.8 per cent increase in visitors, reaching 374,443, while Stirling Castle experienced a 14.8 per cent rise, welcoming 594,938 visitors, with both attractions charging for admission.
The free admission St Giles’ Cathedral, which featured in Avengers: Infinity War, Frankenstein and Fast & Furious 9, saw visitor numbers rise 18.3 per cent increase, to 1,742,147 in 2024.
Chris Greenwood, senior research fellow at the Moffat Centre for Travel and Tourism at Glasgow Caledonian University, said: “Heritage and culture are a major attraction among our international visitors with castles, heritage centres and historic sites all performing well.
“Many of Scotland’s heritage sites are used as filming locations which encourages visitors to undertake “set-jetting” trips to experience their favourite film and television productions, such as Outlander.
“Growth in free attractions demonstrates the ongoing cost-consciousness among domestic visitors.
“Domestic audiences have been increasingly looking for free attractions and activities, shorter lengths of breaks and things closer to home.”
The National Museum of Scotland remained the number one free attraction with numbers increasing 5.9 per cent to 2,314,974.
Among other free attractions The Burrell Collection in Glasgow recorded 555,888 visits, an increase of 11.6 per cent, while the National Galleries of Scotland in Edinburgh saw an 8.9 per cent increase to 1,999,196.
Michael Golding, chief executive of the ASVA, said: “The success of Scottish attractions is underpinned by a resolute commitment to providing high-quality experiences that captivate and inspire visitors.
“The continued rise in visitor numbers, particularly at heritage sites and filming locations, highlights the power of authentic and immersive storytelling in attracting visitors.”
The overall number of visitors to paid-for attractions increased 2.4 per cent to 17,849,139.
There were 31,859,344 visits to free attractions in 2024, up 4.8 per cent on the previous year.
Scotland’s business minister Richard Lochhead MSP said: “These figures hammer home the strength and breadth of Scotland’s tourism sector.
“I’m pleased that so many of the country’s much-loved attractions continue to attract more and more people through their doors.
“This is testament to the dedication of the thousands of people that work hard to create memorable experiences and showcase the best of Scotland’s history and culture to people worldwide.
“We will continue to work hand in hand with the sector to continue this upwards trend. In the Scottish Budget, we’ve allocated an additional £2 million to VisitScotland to help spearhead growth, benefiting attractions and businesses.”
Scotland’s best hotel of 2025 named
UK’s ‘most welcoming city’ also voted one of the most haunted
Is Italy still selling €1 houses? The real story behind Netflix’s La Dolce Villa
Best cruise deals for 2025, selected by an expert
British travellers to Europe won’t need a ‘euro-visa’ until 2027 at the earliest
US bans flights to capital of major Caribbean nation until September
