year set to meet target after generating £19m so far
Homecoming events boost tourism spend
Published:
The Year of Homecoming is on track to beat its economic target after generating more than £19million, organisers said yesterday.
Homecoming Scotland said it was on course to exceed the £44million benchmark for the year, which marks the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns’s birth.
An independent interim analysis of 25 events funded by Homecoming Scotland found £19.4million had been generated from tourism spending. Some 92% of the 25 event organisers also said they would take part in another themed year.
Separate surveys also found the number of trips taken by people from Europe to Scotland increased by 14.7% during the first six months of this year and there were 3.5% more tourists from the UK from January to July compared to the same periods last year. But the number of US visitors fell by 20% from January to June this year compared with 2008.
Trends
Visitors from long-haul destinations – which also included Australia and Canada as well as America – had seen a 2.7% drop, but this was ahead of “world trends” which were 7% down, said VisitScotland. Between January and June 1.1million people visited Scotland from overseas, down 2.8% on the last year, and more than 7million visited from the UK.
VisitScotland chief executive Philip Riddle said: “We knew that this year was going to be tough, but we are delighted that we are actually beating world trends in tourism and seeing gains in the UK and Europe. There is no doubt that one of the reasons for this is the Homecoming Scotland effect.
“It has really captured the imagination of Scottish people and inspired them to rediscover their own country.”
First Minister Alex Salmond said despite the economic downturn, Homecoming had proved a real success. He said: “Homecoming 2009 has captured the imagination of people throughout the country and across the globe. More than 400 events have taken place since January.
“As we approach the finale weekend, I am delighted that an independent interim analysis indicated that the Year of Homecoming 2009 will be a success both for Scottish tourism and the economy.”
Marie Christie, project director of Homecoming, said: “None of this success would have been possible without the commitment, dedication and partnership shown by individuals and organisations across Scotland. .”
The interim analysis, released yesterday, did not include all the events for the year. A final report is expected in spring next year. Almost 29million visitors saw attractions in Scotland from January to September this year – up 3.4% on last year. Homecoming Scotland had a project budget of £5.5million from the Scottish Government. More than 40 events will mark the end of the Homecoming year on the last weekend of this month.
A clan event, The Gathering, had losses of more than £600,000, but is said to have generated £10.4million for the Scottish economy
