Tourism in Glasgow continues to thrive – 2024 data demonstrates increased visitor numbers and spend
New data has confirmed tourism in Glasgow continues to grow and strengthen, reinforcing the city’s status as a premier national and international visitor destination.
The latest Scottish Tourism Economic Impact Model (STEAM) figures reveal further increases in both visitor numbers and spend during 2024, resulting in greater economic impact for the city.
The STEAM data shows that a total of 4.72 million visitors stayed overnight in Glasgow during 2024 – an increase of over 20% on the previous year. With people staying an average of two nights, the economic impact delivered was £1.84 billion.
With spend by day visitors incorporated, the overall direct visitor expenditure in Glasgow for 2024 was £2.39 billion – an increase of 1.9% on 2023, and over 50% on the results for 2022.
Locally, the tourism sector supported just over 37,000 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs in 2024.
The new figures demonstrate Glasgow has consolidated the success of its outstanding tourism results for 2023, which were boosted by the triumphs of two major events hosted by the city that year – the UCI Cycling World Championships and iconic Banksy exhibition.
A diverse range of events have helped Glasgow build on that momentum and achieve further tourism growth.
The city had a record-breaking year for conferences and conventions between April 2024 and March 2025. Over 430 conferences attracted more than 140,000 delegates, contributing a remarkable £153 million to the local economy – a £10 million increase over the prior year.
Examples included the All-Energy Exhibition & Conference which brought over 10,000 clean-energy innovators, policymakers, and industry professionals to the city in May 2024, and the World Science Fiction Convention ‘Glasgow 2024: A Worldcon for our Futures’ which in August drew over 7,000 attendees from more than 50 countries.
Glasgow’s reputation as a global sports destination was further reinforced during 2024 by the resounding success of The World Athletics Indoor Championships which, in March, attracted 22,000 spectators to watch 650 athletes from 130 countries competing. And major sports events are set to support future tourism growth, as the city gears up to welcome the 2026 Commonwealth Games and UEFA EURO 2028 championship.
Glasgow is also internationally renowned for its cultural events which attract major audiences, making a huge contribution to its economy – and during 2024 the city’s domestic and international visitor numbers were boosted by cultural events.
The ‘Discovering Degas’ exhibition at The Burrell Collection attracted around 42,000 visitors, and ‘Beyond Van Gogh’ at the SEC welcomed record-breaking attendances of over 50,000.
Annual highlights also achieved excellent audience figures, with Celtic Connections attracting 115,000 attendees, Glasgow Comedy Festival attended by more than 61,000, and Glasgow Film Festival and the World Pipe Band Championships each achieving attendances of over 35,000.
Glasgow Life Head of Tourism and Conventions, Aileen Crawford, said: “Emphasising the vital role tourism plays in enabling our city to achieve its economic goals, the STEAM results for 2024 are great news for Glasgow and for Scotland.
“They are also an endorsement of our Tourism Strategy 2030, which was developed collaboratively with partners including VisitScotland, Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Airport, the Scottish Event Campus, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and our local business community. It is designed to ensure we stimulate business growth by showcasing everything our vibrant city has to offer local, national and international visitors, positioning Glasgow as a world-class destination to not only visit but also to live, work, study, meet and invest in.”
VisitScotland Regional Director for Glasgow City Region, Lynne Cooper, said: “Glasgow’s unique visitor experience is wonderfully diverse – spanning everything from world-class museums and art galleries, incredible architecture, a vibrant programme of cultural festivals and superb sporting events, to fabulous food and drink, a thriving music and entertainment scene, and amazing nightlife.
“We work with partners to shape the local visitor economy by promoting Glasgow as a superb year-round destination to attract new and returning visitors, and encourage longer stays in the city. Glasgow’s excellent transport links also mean it is a great gateway to the rest of Scotland which is a major benefit for our key overseas markets.”
Chief Executive of the Scottish Event Campus (SEC), Dom McKay – who was recently appointed as Chair of the Glasgow Tourism Advisory Forum – said: “The STEAM data not only demonstrates the positive outcomes our Tourism Strategy is delivering, but also the success of the ‘Team Glasgow’ collaborative approach that our city’s business community has embraced. Partners across all sectors work closely together to ensure we capitalise on the benefits and continue to increase the positive economic impact of tourism and the wider visitor economy.
“While a great deal has been achieved in the delivery of the Tourism Strategy, Glasgow is determined to drive further tourism growth and maximise the benefits for the whole city and beyond.”
Co-Chair of Glasgow Hoteliers Association, and General Manager of Novotel-Ibis Glasgow City Centre, Janice Fisher, said: “The fantastic range of exceptional accommodation Glasgow offers has continued to expand, with three new hotels opening in 2024, increasing capacity by more than 600 rooms. Demonstrating the sector’s confidence in the city, this has further extended the huge choice of options available, widening the city’s appeal to travellers and attracting visitors from near and far.
“This latest visitation data reinforces how important the accommodation sector continues to be in driving sustainable growth for tourism in the city. And Glasgow’s hoteliers are certainly committed to supporting that by ensuring every guest enjoys superb quality, a warm welcome and a great experience.”