Tourism in Glasgow boosted in 2023 by two major events

Tourism has boomed in Scotland within the past few years, with an almost 50 percent increase from 2022 to 2023.

Visiting number were significantly boosted by two main events that took place in the city, the first ever UCI Cycling World Championships which brought over 500,000 spectators and 8,000 athletes, and Banksy’s first solo exhibition at the GOMA which attracted more than 180,000 people from across the world.

A total of 3.91 million visitors stayed overnight in Glasgow in 2023 compared to 2.65 million the previous year with people staying for an average of 2.5 nights.

Day tourists are also up from 17.69 million to 21.8 million during that same period.

These figures are positive as they demonstrate the benefits they have on Glasgow’s economy, supporting a range of jobs in areas including food and drinks, transport, shopping and accommodation.

As Glasgow is a gateway to the rest of Scotland - speak to any tourist on George Square and it’s likely they’re stopping with their tour bus before making their way north - so this is good news for the country as a whole.