A Snapshot of December 2025 Visitor Stats
Added: 25 Feb 2026
Moffat Centre (2026): ASVA Monthly Visitor Attraction Report: December 2025/2024, Glasgow School for Business and Society, Glasgow Caledonian University: Glasgow, UK.
The ASVA Visitor Attraction membership saw a respectable 5.0% increase in December2025 compared to 2024, totalling nearly 1.7 million visits across 335 reporting sites. Looking at the full year, Scotland’s attractions welcomed 34.8 million visitors, a modest but steady 1.2% growth year-to-date.
However, the “all-Scotland” average hides significant regional variance:
– The Winners: The Scottish Borders saw significant growth in December visits, while Perthshire led the year-to-date growth at 17.3%.
– The Challenges: The Outer Hebrides struggled with visits down for the month. Retail-focused attractions also took a hit, dropping in December.
Beyond the Turnstile
For the attractions sector, the “visitor economy” isn’t just about ticket sales. It is the lifeblood of local supply chains. When a visitor enters a castle or a nature reserve, they aren’t just paying an admission fee. They are supporting the local bakery that supplies the cafe, the regional tech firm managing the booking system, and the tradespeople maintaining the historic fabric of the site. According to the Scottish Government’s Scotland Outlook 2030 strategy, tourism is a key driver for community wealth building. It creates jobs in areas where other industries often can’t reach, particularly in “Accessible Small Towns,” which saw a 29% increase in visits this month.
Why This Matters to Scotland
The visitor economy is central to Scotland’s national identity and economic resilience. It attracts inward investment and drives the regeneration of our town centres. But more importantly, a successful visitor destination is almost always a better place to live. The infrastructure and green spaces maintained for visitors directly improve the quality of life for residents. This is reflected in the focus on quality, service, and innovation, regularly seen in the sector.
The Policy Road Ahead
Current policy is shifting from a focus on “volume” to “value.” The Scottish Government and VisitScotland are increasingly looking at how attractions contribute to Net Zero targets and sustainable travel. We should expect future policy to prioritise “Outdoors and Nature” attractions, which saw 8.8% YTD growth, as part of a broader wellness and environmental agenda.
The 2025 data shows a sector that is stable but sensitive to regional and category-specific shifts. To stay competitive, continued forward moving toward a model that balances economic growth with societal benefits.