The Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions (ASVA) has announced that visits to its member sites rose again in 2018 – the fifth year running that an increase in numbers has been recorded.

The National Museum of Scotland attracted more than 2 million visits last year

ASVA, which represents the interests of the key visitor attractions sector in Scotland, has over 480 members comprising some of Scotland’s most popular and iconic castles, galleries, museums, historic houses, heritage sites, wildlife parks, gardens and leisure attractions.

Statistics submitted by 232 of the organisation’s member sites for its annual ‘Visitor Trends Report’ confirm that 30.26 million visits were made to those sites in Scotland in 2018, which represents an increase of 0.1% over 2017 figures. The increase comes on top of a 9.7% rise in 2017 and a 6% rise in 2016, confirming that visitor attractions in Scotland are enjoying a period of sustained growth.

The two top sites – The National Museum of Scotland and Edinburgh Castle – each attracted more than 2 million visits, only the second time that any visitor attraction in Scotland has surpassed the 2 million milestone. Four additional sites attracted in excess of 1 million visitors – two in Edinburgh (Scottish National Gallery and St Giles’ Cathedral) and two in Glasgow (Riverside Museum and Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum).

Edinburgh Castle © VisitBritain/Andrew Pickett - Scotland's most popular 'paid' attraction

Sectors which fared particularly well in 2018 include castles and heritage sites (+4.2%), zoos, wildlife parks and aquariums (+4.3%), sports and activity attractions (+7.7%) and distilleries/whisky-related attractions (+2.3%).

Edinburgh continued to dominate, with 10 of the top 20 attractions located in the city. The National Museum of Scotland welcomed the most visitors over this period, while Edinburgh Castle retained its status as the most popular ‘paid’ attraction.

Malcolm Roughead, VisitScotland Chief Executive, said: “Visitor attractions are a hugely popular and valuable part of Scotland’s world-famous tourism offering, allowing visitors to explore our rich history, vibrant culture, famous heritage and stunning natural environment in more detail.

“A growth in visits of any size is a welcome achievement and something we hope will continue. The arrival of V&A Dundee, as well as the increasing interest in set-jetting, thanks to TV series like Outlander or films such as Outlaw King, have only strengthened Scotland’s appeal, and with the opening of Moat Brae in Dumfries and the redevelopment of Aberdeen Art Gallery taking place this year, there is plenty to look forward to in 2019.”

Janet Redler, Chief Executive of Janet Redler Travel and Tourism, added: “It’s great to see that the number of visitors to Scotland’s tourist sites continues to grow. From ancient castles and historic cathedrals to world-leading art galleries and museums, Scotland has something for everyone, and visitors travel from every corner of the globe to see these fantastic attractions.”

Spending by tourists in Scotland generates around £12 billion of economic activity in the wider Scottish supply chain and contributes around £6 billion to Scottish GDP. This represents about 5% of total Scottish GDP.

If you or your group would like to enjoy a tailor-made tour of Scotland, taking in some of the country’s wonderful visitor attractions, please do contact our friendly team today.