Highland Show proves a £54m earner for Scotland
The wider annual economic benefits of Scotland’s largest outdoor event, the Highland Show, have been estimated to be £54 million.
While the event organisers, the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS), took in £4.45 min gate and car park money from the 2017 event, the ripple out effect for hotels and catering establishments multiplied that sum more than ten times.
Held every year in June, the event welcomed a record 190,000 visitors last year making it Scotland’s biggest outdoor event.
Royal Highland Show manager David Jackson said: “The Royal Highland Show has yet again proven to be a major economic asset for Scotland and we continue to see increasing interest from exhibitors and competitors across the UK and abroad – almost 40 per cent of our exhibitors are from outside Scotland, as there is growing interest in this prestigious event.”
With the 2017 show attracting more than 1,000 trade exhibitors from across the agricultural, non-agricultural and food sectors, Jackson claimed it represented a perfect opportunity for generating business either as a direct result of being at the event or as a part of a marketing and relationship campaign to build future business. He added: “While sales are important to exhibitors, brand awareness is also key and our exhibitors know that the footfall the show generates will result in both income and brand recognition which are key to business success.”
Beth Fenney, marketing manager from machinery manufacturers Kverneland, who won the Gold Technical Innovation Award at the Royal Highland Show in 2017, added: “For Kverneland, the Royal Highland Show is always one of the busiest shows we attend and we enjoy catching up with existing customers and meeting new ones.
“We find the show is excellent for increasing brand awareness.”
The show also has a positive impact on the hospitality sector, attracting a significant number of visitors who stay overnight in the area.
“From the research commissioned by the Highland Society, this equates to approximately 62,710 bed nights and, based on an average cost of £75 per night, delivers an economic impact of £4.7m.
The show’s 2017 visitors’ survey found that 94 per cent commented on the “great atmosphere” and – as an event with huge urban appeal – 88 per cent of non-farming visitors agreeing that there was so much to see and do.
Jackson said: “The Highland Show has a loyal and engaged audience with almost two-thirds having attended five times or more.
“However, the number attending for the first time rose by 20 per cent in 2017 illustrating how the Royal Highland Show appeals to new visitors who are interested in the best of farming, food and rural life.”