Scotland's economy receives £295m boost from '˜music tourists'

The number of 'music tourists' to visit Scotland has risen by almost 30 per cent over the past year, new figures have revealed.

nearly one million people visited Scotland in 2015 to attend live concerts or music festival. Picture: TSPL

A total of 928,000 people visited Scotland in 2015 to attend a live concert or music festival – 28.7 per cent up on the previous year, when just 721,000 people attended music events north of the Border.

These visitors generated £295 million in total for the local economy, and helped sustain 3,230 full-time jobs across the nation, according to the study from UK Music.

Jo Dipple, UK Music chief executive, said: “The appetite for live music has continued to grow. Last year overseas music tourism increased by 16 per cent, whilst British music events were attended by a staggering 27.7 million people in 2015.

“What this report shows, unequivocally, is the economic value of live music to communities, cities and regions.”

In Glasgow alone, total attendance of music events totalled 1.4 million people – from both inside and 
outside Scotland.

Patrick Grady, MP for Glasgow North, said: “Glasgow’s music scene is famous around the world, and is recognised by UNESCO as one of nine global Cities of Music. Glasgow has always been a hub for artistic and cultural creativity, and the thriving music scene is a huge part of that success story.”

MUSIC TOURISM IN SCOTLAND IN 2015

-£295 million generated by music tourism in Scotland in 2015

-928,000 music tourists attending music events in Scotland in 2015

-3,230 full time jobs sustained by music tourism in 2015

-1.4 million total attendance at music events in Glasgow in 2015

-450,000 music tourists generated £105 million in Glasgow last year