Scottish Government: Publication of results for January to March 2023 from the International Passenger Survey (IPS).

The number of visits to Scotland from overseas tourists in the first three months of the year has increased by 29% since before the pandemic. ONS statistics showed there were 572,000 visits between January and March 2023 compared to 443,000 during the same period in 2019.

Tourism Minister Richard Lochhead said:

“These encouraging statistics show that tourist numbers and spending in Scotland has recovered faster than the rest of the UK – and overseas visitors are returning to Scotland in greater numbers following the pandemic. Scotland is an increasingly attractive destination for international tourists.

“I am confident that Scotland’s unique culture, history and landscapes, plus global events such as the Scottish Open Golf Championship, next month’s UCI World Cycling Championships and Edinburgh’s world-renowned festivals, will further drive tourist numbers over the summer.”

Background

Estimates of overseas residents’ visits and spending in the UK - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)