A follow-up to our 2010 and 2015 Impact Studies, it involved more than 22,000 participants and demonstrated remarkable economic impact. It has been featured in BBC Scotland and The Scotsman.  

Operating at 75% of their pre-pandemic capacity, the festivals delivered an economic impact of £407m in Edinburgh and £367m across Scotland. This supported over 5,800 FTE jobs in Edinburgh and 5,000 FTE jobs throughout Scotland.

Importantly, our study also assessed the figures accounting for local expenditure. This showed a notable increase in the economic impact of the festivals when local spending is considered, underlining the significant contribution of local and Scottish audiences.

When local expenditure in Edinburgh was accounted for, the economic impact rose from £407 million to £492 million, an increase of £85 million. Similarly, Scotland's economic impact increased from £367 million to £620 million, a jump of £253 million.

These figures enforce the pivotal role of communal events in our post-pandemic world, demonstrating how both international and domestic visitors seek unique cultural experiences, and in turn contribute to local and national economies.

Thank you to the festivals and their research partners for facilitating the surveys of their audiences. To read full press coverage please see the links below. 

Read full article in the Scotsman here.  

Read the full article in BBC Scotland here.