Glasgow’s tourism numbers for 2023 make for remarkable and exciting reading. Last year, 25.75 million people chose to visit Glasgow and experience everything our vibrant, dynamic and friendly city has to offer.
The total number of visitors has increased by 26.6% compared to 2022, and overnight visitors have jumped almost 50% to 3.91 million.
Even more encouraging is the close to 50% increase in visitor spending. Tourists spent £2.35 billion in Glasgow in 2023, which provides a significant boost to the city’s economy .
Tourism now also supports more than 37,000 local full-time jobs, which is 8,277 more than in 2022. Increasing the value of tourism to Glasgow’s economy is the first priority of the city’s refreshed tourism strategy. These figures show we are already ahead of our 2025 targets for visitor numbers, direct visitor spend, and local jobs supported by tourism.
It is understandable why people are choosing to visit Glasgow. The city has world-class museums, galleries and attractions, from the award-winning Burrell Collection to the Riverside Museum and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Glasgow also has rich architectural heritage, a thriving and diverse food and drink scene as well as iconic music venues which host globally renowned artists all year round.
Music is in Glasgow’s DNA, and our city was ranked first in a global index of the world’s best destinations for live music earlier this year. It is the perfect place for music lovers who can also take in.
