A record-breaking number of tourists visited Glasgow in 2023, injecting £2.35 billion into the city's economy.
The city's tourism industry was boosted by a major Banksy exhibition and a cycling world championships, which attracted more than 25 million visitors.
Increase in Overnight Stays
The number of overnight stays in Glasgow increased by 26.6% compared to the previous year, with 80% of visitors staying in "serviced accommodation" such as hotels, apartments, and bed and breakfasts.
This surge in tourism also led to an increase in job opportunities, with 31,117 full-time jobs supported in the city's food and drink, transport, shopping, and accommodation sectors.
The event drew in large crowds, including over 500,000 visitors and 8,000 competitors who participated in the cycling world championships.
At Glasgow's esteemed Gallery of Modern Art, Banksy's groundbreaking Cut And Run show broke attendance records with over 180,000 visitors.
According to Susan Deighan, chief executive of Glasgow Life, the city's reputation as a successful and popular tourist destination has been further solidified by its ability to attract record-breaking numbers of visitors in recent years.
The average length of stay for tourists visiting Glasgow was found to be roughly 2.5 nights, as evidenced by the significant jump from approximately 2.65 million overnight visitors in 2022 to around 3.91 million individuals staying overnight in 2023.
A significant rise was observed in the number of daytrippers visiting Glasgow in 2023, representing a substantial growth of around 22.8 million people over the course of the year.
"Glasgow has a well-earned and global reputation for successfully hosting major events, exhibitions and conferences."
Andy Cliffe
Glasgow has established itself as a world-class venue for hosting high-profile events, consistently demonstrating its capacity to deliver successful exhibitions, conferences, and championships on the global stage.