What we did on our holiday in Edinburgh

Around a third of visitors to Edinburgh were on a ‘special’ holiday or short break in Scotland, according to the latest regional research from VisitScotland.

The Scotland Visitor Survey 2023: Edinburgh, published today (Wednesday, 26 June) by the national tourism organisation, found that 52% of respondents were repeat visitors to Scotland, with around a third of all visitors travelling with children.

Visitors stayed on average 3.5 nights in the capital.

In line with Scotland-wide survey results, scenery and landscape (70%), and history and culture (61%), were the top two motivations for visitors who travelled to the city.

Most (61%) visited a castle or viewed an historical property with half taking in a museum or gallery.

Separate results for the Lothians found that around three quarters of visitors to the region were repeat visitors to Scotland, and a fifth stayed in a single coastal location.   

Similar to the capital, most visitors to the surrounding region (44%) took in a castle, with around a third taking in outdoor activities, such as rambling, viewing architecture, and visiting an abbey or other place of worship.

The Scotland Visitor Survey usually takes place every three or four years but was delayed due to the pandemic and was conducted in 2023.

It aims to help understand why visitors take a holiday or short break in Scotland and how they rate their experiences when here.

Visitors were surveyed in-person between March and October last year, and then responded to an online survey when they returned home.

Neil Christison, Regional Director at VisitScotland, said: “The Scotland Visitor Survey provides valuable insight for everyone involved in tourism and events.

“We all know that our landscape, and historical sites and culture, inspire many to travel to Scotland. Edinburgh encapsulates this desire, being a cultural hotbed and steeped in history, so it is little wonder the top activities for visitors included visiting our historic properties and museums and galleries.

“So too in the surrounding Lothians, from Linlithgow Palace in the West to Rosslyn Chapel in Midlothian to Newhailes Estate in the East, not forgetting our stunning landscapes to explore.

“The research reveals that satisfaction remains high for visitors to Edinburgh and the Lothians, which is a fantastic endorsement of the sector, however, we know there is always room for improvement.

“Understanding the motivations and experiences of visitors is essential in developing a world-class visitor destination. We will continue to work with businesses and partners to ensure Edinburgh and the Lothians is a sustainable tourism destination that benefits all.”

Scotland Visitor Survey 2023: Edinburgh/Lothians can be found https://www.visitscotland.org/research-insights/regions/edinburgh-lothians

ENDS