Home run!

A record-breaking 2 million people have attended 1049 Homecoming events across Scotland in 2014, VisitScotland revealed today (Tuesday 6 January 2015).

The figure, which has been compiled from independent outcome reports and includes events such as Bannockburn Live, which attracted a capacity 20,000 crowd, Glasgow Film Festival, Perthshire Amber, East Neuk Festival and Scotland’s Boat Show – all of which achieved record-breaking attendances during 2014.

The diverse range of sell-out events and exceptional audience figures across the country, combined with extensive global marketing campaigns by the national tourism organisation has ensured that the spotlight has truly shone on Scotland during 2014.

The success of Homecoming is testament to one of the biggest partnership campaigns ever, with event organisers, local and national government, local communities, schools, and businesses engaging with the special year across Scotland and beyond.

As the curtain closes on the year Scotland welcomed the world, early positive indicators from the year include:

• 1049 Homecoming events throughout Scotland – more than double the initial target of 400
• Homecoming themed events in every Local Authority area in Scotland
• A significant impact on tourism - the first six months of 2014 equated to the strongest first half of a year for inbound tourism to Scotland since 2008
• Funding for 137 events throughout Scotland during 2014
• 43% of funded events were brand new for 2014
• Awareness of the Year of Homecoming reached 83% of Scottish Households
• Over 93% of tourism businesses aware of Homecoming Scotland 2014
• Almost half a million people viewed the dedicated Year of Homecoming web page
• Scottish produce enhanced at a number of events including Dundee Flower and Festival, Loch Lomond Food and Drink Festival and Living Food at Cawdor Castle thanks to the Homecoming Food and Drink Fund
• 36% increase in VisitScotland ancestral database during the course of the year
• Over 6500 people joined the celebration of the Multi-Cultural Homecoming, led by BEMIS (Black and Ethnic Minority Infrastructure in Scotland) and the Scottish Government
• Homecoming promoted to over 500 international and 230 UK based tourism buyers at VisitScotland Expo 2014
• 144 International tour operators used the Year of Homecoming in their own promotions

The Homecoming event programme has been heralded as a major success with many brand new events taking place in Scotland during 2014 including The European Festival of Brass, The MTV European Music Awards, McLaren 2014 and Pipefest. Existing events were also able to extend their programmes as a result of additional Homecoming funding including Borders Book Festival, Big Burns Supper in Dumfries and Doors Open Days.

Over 1000 businesses also benefited from the year, in particular those who proactively developed Homecoming programmes and products including Strathearn Distillery, Inveralmond Brewery and Hebridean Hopscotch, a tour company which saw its bookings rise by over a quarter (26%) this year after tying in with Homecoming Scotland 2014.

Fergus Ewing, Minister for Tourism said:

“Homecoming has been a huge success, bringing millions together in a joint celebration of all that is great about our country and showcasing all of our unique attractions and icons to a massive worldwide audience. In 2014, building on the momentum created by the success of previous themed years, we have seen a record breaking number of events and attractions right across the country joining the Homecoming celebration, extending the benefits of the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup across the whole year and boosting the tourism and wider economy.

“The eyes of the world have been on Scotland like never before in 2014 and working together wewill benefit from these experiences as we begin the Year of Food and Drink in 2015 and beyond.”

Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland said:

“There really was no place like home for the people of Scotland during 2014. We welcomed the world in their millions and boy did we have fun doing it! We opened our arms and laughed and cheered with our guests. We gave them directions, provided sunscreen and sometimes the odd umbrella. We didn’t just show them a good time – we joined in!

“Scotland enjoyed a breathtaking programme of more than 1,000 events in this incredible Homecoming year, touching every single corner of the country. I am unaware of any other country in the world our size which has delivered events on such a scale and with such prowess.

“The Scottish people took Scottish tourism to the next level in 2014, and as we begin to celebrate the Year of Food and Drink in 2015, we must build on all we have achieved and ensure that people keep visiting our beautiful home – Scotland – for years to come.”

Brigadier David Allfrey, Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Chief Executive & Producer said:

“The popular series of Homecoming Taste of the Tattoo performances staged in Glasgow, Stirling and Dundee provided those who were unable to obtain a ticket for the sold-out Military showpiece at Edinburgh Castle with the essence of the 2014 record-breaking production.”

“Yet without Homecoming Scotland creating the appropriate conditions for the three free events to take place outside the Scottish Capital these unique performances would simply not have occurred.”

Alistair Moffat, Festival Director, Brewin Dolphin Borders Book Festival said:

“Homecoming 2014 marked a record breaking year for the Borders Book Festival.”

“The support we received had two simple effects, we were able to attract nationally renowned names such as Nina Conti, Steve Backshall and Samuel West, and we were also able to deliver a much wider marketing campaign across the rest of Britain to highlight what a wonderful programme we had.”

“Add the two together – and we had a very successful year, one which we hope to build on in 2015.”

The Year of Homecoming has already delivered a massive events legacy and 2015 will be no different with Scotland’s natural larder celebrated in the Year of Food and Drink. World class events also set to take place in 2015 include The Turner Prize, EJU European Judo Championships, World Gymnastics Championships and The Open Championship at St Andrews.

Final evaluation for the Year of Homecoming Scotland 2014 is due in Spring 2015.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

• Additional High Resolution Homecoming Scotland event pictures are available. Please contact Chelsea Charles on 0131 472 2067 or at chelsea.charles@eventscotland.org
• Year of Homecoming event video - Click here

About Year of Homecoming Scotland 2014

• Scotland welcomed the world in the Year of Homecoming 2014 providing a year-long programme of events alongside the Ryder Cup and Commonwealth Games. The Year of Homecoming Scotland ran from 31 December 2013 to 31 December 2014 throughout the length and breadth of the country. Visitors from around the world were invited to join in a celebration of the nation’s food and drink, active pursuits, cultural heritage, nature and ancestral heritage. Homecoming Scotland 2014 was a Scottish Government initiative led by EventScotland and VisitScotland, supported by numerous partners.
• To find out more, visit www.homecomingscotland.com

Year of Homecoming Scotland Highlights

Events Programme

• Homecoming Scotland brought the popular BBC TV show exhibition Who Do You Think You Are Live? to Scotland for the first time, attracting over 3,000 attendees.
• Every dog had its day at Fearn Farm, Tain, Ross-shire with over 3,200 people gathering to watch 240 competitors from 25 nations herd up to 700 sheep for the World Sheepdog Trials.
• Over 12,000 visitors and locals experienced the opening of Andy Scott’s horse head sculptures in Falkirk at the International Launch of the Kelpies and 38,500 people discovered more about the great Scottish naturalist at the first ever John Muir Festival.
• Over 18,500 people got the chance to experience a ‘Taste of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo’ at free events in Dundee, Glasgow and Stirling, and over 12,000 fireworks were launched from 95 firing locations to celebrate the Forth Road Bridge’s 50^th birthday in September – the widest bridge display ever staged in the UK.

The Power of Partnerships

• Strathearn Distillery in Perthshire reported that the Year of Homecoming helped boost their business with the creation of their bespoke ‘Homecoming Gin’.
• Hebridean Hopscotch, a tour company which organises holiday packages for visitors to the Outer Hebrides saw its bookings rise by over a quarter (26%) this year after tying in with Homecoming Scotland 2014.
• The Homecoming message was also promoted to 7.3 million consumers in partnership with a number of brands throughout the year, including Mackies, Evans Cycles, Loch Fyne Restaurants, Delia Online, Drambuie, Ness, and Belhaven.

Community engagement

• Communities across Scotland embraced the Year of Homecoming from mass participation events to small community activity.
• John Muir's ethos was celebrated by connecting with wild places in a spirit of fun and adventure. From flag bearers to art exhibitions, plant-seeding to poetry, thousands of locals took part in events from Dunbar to Helensburgh, celebrating the pioneering conservationist.
• Multicultural Homecoming in partnership with BEMIS also celebrated the diverse nature of Scotland’s communities through a series of events, enabling varied ethnic groups to celebrate their own interpretation of Scotland as home.
• Homecoming also partnered with LGBT Youth, Equality Network, Scottish Transgender Alliance and LEAP Sports to boost the engagement of the LGBT community throughout the year.

Themed years

Homecoming builds on the success of the previous themed years from 2010-2013.

For example, over half a million people attended events and activities celebrating the Year of Food and Drink (2010/11); there was a 6 per cent increase in participation levels at those events supported through the Year of Active Scotland (2011); the messaging around the Year of Creative Scotland (2012) reached almost 70 million people across the globe; and data gathered by VisitScotland shows that UK, Long Haul, & Europe campaigns promoting the Year of Natural Scotland delivered an return on investment of 24:1

• The success of Homecoming 2014 also provides a fantastic platform to boost the celebration of the future themed years which are the 2015 Year of Food and Drink, 2016 Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, 2017 Year of History, Heritage and Archeology and 2018 Young People.
• Food and Drink is one of the five under-pinning themes of Homecoming and this was designed specifically to provide a momentum leading into the Year of Food and Drink which started on 1 January 2015 and will include a series of inspirational events and activities across Scotland, promoted to the world through VisitScotland’s highly successful marketing and promotional campaigns.