VisitScotland CEO welcomes rise in value of screen tourism
Vicki Miller, Chief Executive of VisitScotland, said: “Given the many high-profile productions that have come to Scotland in recent years and the record level of international visitors, it comes as no surprise that the value of screen tourism has risen. That it has increased substantially will be hugely welcome for our sector and the wider visitor economy.
“Our own visitor research shows the profound long-term effect that big and small screen productions have on viewers’ travel decisions, which is especially noticeable with our international markets. Braveheart, Shetland, and, of course, Outlander, are just some of the films and TV series that have resulted in visitors flocking to Scotland to discover the real stories, history, and landscapes behind the on-screen appearances.
“Encouraging seasonal spread and helping tourism and events to extend the season are a key part of our work to make Scotland a must-visit, must-return, year-round destination. Film and TV productions help support these aims, with filming locations found across the length and breadth of the country.
“We know that there can be challenges around visitor numbers in certain locations. Fans will be drawn to them regardless. That’s why our work aims to capture visitors at the planning stage of their trip, to educate and inform them of where and when they should visit, while encouraging them to explore beyond the on-screen locations.
“We’ve worked in the past with a broad range of tourism businesses and major distributors and broadcasters to deliver marketing campaigns to help increase the economic benefits of productions filmed in Scotland. With major productions continually on the horizon, we are constantly exploring ways to engage with viewers and work with tourism businesses to help them develop their visitor offering to capitalise on this captive audience.”
Commissioned by Screen Scotland and produced by Saffery LLP and Nordicity, the new report, The Economic Value of the Screen Sector in Scotland in 2023, values visitor expenditure on screen tourism activities at £161.4 million. It notes that the screen tourism expenditure resulted in £89.4 million in direct GVA (gross value added) to the Scottish economy, sustaining 2,260 full time jobs.
A previous Screen Scotland report, The Economic Value of the Screen Sector in Scotland in 2019, which calculated the value of screen tourism prior to the pandemic, revealed expenditure on screen tourism activities at £64.9 million, resulting in £35.9 million in direct gross value added to the Scottish economy, sustaining 910 full time jobs.
Read the Screen Scotland announcement on screen.scot.
ENDS