Glasgow’s tourism numbers for 2023 make for remarkable and exciting reading. Last year, 25.75 million people chose to visit Glasgow and experience everything our vibrant, dynamic and friendly city has to offer.
The total number of visitors has increased by 26.6% compared to 2022, and overnight visitors have jumped almost 50% to 3.91 million.
Even more encouraging is the close to 50% increase in visitor spending. Tourists spent £2.35 billion in Glasgow in 2023, which provides a significant boost to the city’s economy.
Tourism now also supports more than 37,000 local full-time jobs, which is 8,277 more than in 2022.
Increasing the value of tourism to Glasgow’s economy is the first priority of the city’s refreshed tourism strategy. These figures show we are already ahead of our 2025 targets for visitor numbers, direct visitor spend, and local jobs supported by tourism.
It is understandable why people are choosing to visit Glasgow. The city has world-class museums, galleries and attractions, from the award-winning Burrell Collection to the Riverside Museum and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.
Glasgow also has rich architectural heritage, a thriving and diverse food and drink scene as well as iconic music venues which host globally renowned artists all year round.
Music is in Glasgow’s DNA, and our city was ranked first in a global index of the world’s best destinations for live music earlier this year. It is the perfect place for music lovers who can also take in performances in pubs and cafes or visit one of the many independent record shops across the city.
On top of all that, our city boasts an outstanding programme of year-round events and festivals. From Celtic Connections and the World Pipe Band Championships to the Glasgow Film Festival and Sonica, Glasgow truly has an enviable events calendar.
All of these are a real draw, and people travel from across the world to enjoy our unrivalled cultural experiences.
Glasgow is also Scotland’s conference capital, with thousands of business travellers visiting annually. National and international associations choose Glasgow for their conferences, which bring millions of pounds in delegate spending to the city.
This year, Glasgow has welcomed high-profile events like the World Science Fiction Convention and the prestigious Space Comm Expo.
In 2023, the city successfully hosted the inaugural UCI Cycling World Championships, which was attended by hundreds of thousands of people and watched by millions on TV.
The summer also saw Banksy bring his incredible Cut&Run exhibition to the Gallery of Modern Art. The show broke box office records and created global headlines.
Major events like this strengthen Glasgow and Scotland’s international profile and reputation as a culturally rich destination with a unique visitor experience.
The growth in visitors is great news for our city, but also the whole of Scotland. Glasgow is the gateway to the rest of Scotland, the perfect base for people to explore other areas thanks to our transport links and growing range of hotels.
Unforgettable cultural experiences and phenomenal events attract people to Glasgow, but the benefits are felt beyond the boundaries of our city. They support national tourism growth and help Scotland’s visitor economy to thrive.
Susan Deighan is chief executive of Glasgow Life
Agenda is a column for outside contributors. Contact: agenda@theherald.co.uk
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