"2014 captured imagination of millions"

VisitScotland Chief Executive Malcolm Roughead responds to the release of the quarterly International Passenger Survey (IPS) tourism statistics by the UK Office of National Statistics (ONS) and the domestic tourism statistics derived from the Great Britain Tourism Survey.  He said:

“Scotland welcomed the world in 2014, with the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, The Ryder Cup at Gleneagles and the 1000 events of Homecoming capturing the imagination of millions of people around the world.

“The Scottish summer of 2014 was jam-packed with unforgettable events, from the Hebridean Celtic Festival to the Commonwealth Games, from the Edinburgh International Festivals to The Ryder Cup – everywhere you looked, the country was alive with music, sport, laughter and fun.

“Homecoming 2014 clearly had an impact on our overseas market, with a distinct rise in both visitor numbers and spend as visitors immersed themselves in Scottish culture, history and ancestry.

“New airlines connecting Scotland to the Far East and increased capacity from North America have been crucial in boosting visitor numbers. In 2015, Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink, we will look to build on all we have achieved, developing and winning world-class events, attracting key airlines and taking Scotland to the world.”

ENDS

ONS statistics – Q3 2014
KEY FACTS
INTERNATIONAL VISITORS

YEAR TO DATE (January to September 2014):
Overseas visits increased: 12%
Overseas spend increased: 7.3%

Q3 (July to September 2014):
Overseas visits increased: 7.9%
Overseas spend increased: 11.9%

Rolling year (October 2013 to September 2014):
Overseas visits increased: 13% (Overseas visits to GB increased 6%)
Overseas spend increased: 10% (Overseas spend for GB increased 6%)

DOMESTIC VISITORS

YEAR TO DATE (January to September 2014)
Domestic visits decreased: 3.4%
Domestic spend decreased: 0.4%

Q3 (July to September 2014):
Domestic visits decreased: 2.7%
Domestic spend increased: 0.4%

Rolling year (October 2013 to September 2014):
Domestic visits decreased: 8% (Same as GB)
Domestic spend decreased: 3% (Domestic spend for GB decreased 6%)

COMBINED FIGURES (INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC)

YEAR TO DATE (January to September 2014)
Visits decreased: 0.8%
Spend increased: 2.5%

Q3 (July to September 2014):
Visits decreased: 0.6%
Spend increased: 5.2%

Rolling year (October 2013 to September 2014):

Visits decreased: 5% (same as GB)
Spend increased: 2% (GB stayed the same)