Visitor attraction numbers slump by 34 million

Visitor attraction numbers in Scotland slumped by almost 34 million in 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic, new figures have shown.

Overall visitor numbers fell 63.2% with 153 sites closed for the full 12 months, according to data from the Moffat Centre for Travel and Tourism at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU).

Edinburgh Castle – Scotland’s busiest paidfor attraction in 2019 – recorded an 87.2% drop in visitors, with figures for Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow and the National Museum of Scotland down 85.8% and 79.9% respectively.

Meanwhile, among outdoor attractions, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh was the most popular free site with 452,479 visits.

Edinburgh Zoo was Scotland’s busiest paidfor site last year attracting 292,631 visitors, a drop of 46.4% on the previous 12 months.

Professor John Lennon, director of the Moffat Centre at GCU, said: “The impact of Covid-19 was felt across all aspects of the Scottish visitor attractions sector as travel was restricted, the international market collapsed and the wider economy was impacted.

“Attractions are an essential element of the Scottish visitor experience.

“With international tourism unlikely to return until well into 2022, domestic visitors will provide the sole source of income.

“Their custom will be vital going forward.”

Despite recent changes to lockdown and travel restrictions across the country, a survey carried out by the Moffat Centre – with the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions – found one-in-eight sites could stay closed until 2022.