Boosting the local tourism economy
The Enchanted Forest unveiled that an independent economic impact assessment report, commissioned by the Enchanted Forest Community Trust, found that the event has delivered an annual economic impact of more than £10.3 million to Highland Perthshire. This brings the collective economic impact to a total of £73 million since the event began in 2002.
The report, undertaken by the Tourism Resources Company, focused on the 2023 event which took place from 5 October to 5 November. It confirmed the event’s crucial role in delivering an impressive boost to the local tourism economy in and around Pitlochry each autumn.
Attracting up to 83,000 visitors from all over the UK and beyond, ticketing data for the 2023 event highlighted that visitors travelled from 29 different countries, specifically for the event.
As part of the economic impact assessment report, a visitor survey was conducted online. There were 4,013 respondents, most of whom were female (81%).
The visitor survey found that:
- 91% only visited Pitlochry because of The Enchanted Forest
- 89% of visitors were from out-with Perth and Kinross
- 51% stayed overnight, which significantly benefited local businesses. This included Fishers Hotel, Scotland’s Spa Hotel and McKay’s Hotel, and local eateries including Victoria’s, Old Mill Inn and McKay’s Chip Shop, as well as numerous independent businesses in Pitlochry