Glasgow sets record for foreign visitors

The number of international tourists visiting Glasgow rose to a record 787,000 last year.

The number is up by nearly a fifth, while spending by visitors rose by more than a third to £319 million. Both were record levels for the city.

The figures come from the Office for National Statistics travel trends survey published earlier this month and have now been analysed by city tourism leaders.

It was found the majority of international tourists to Glasgow last year came from Europe (400,000) and North America (218,000), with five nights the average stay.

Glasgow Life highlighted festivals such as Celtic Connections, the World Pipe Band Championships and sporting events as key attractions along with international conferences.