Scotland 's Most Popular Tourist Attraction Draws 55 Million Visitors

National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh

Scotland’s top tourist destinations attracted an extra 1.7 million visitors in 2014, boosting visitor figures to more than 55 million for the year, according to a new study.

The survey of 687 sites across the country found the most popular destinations were free admission attractions, which welcomed more than twice as many visitors as those with entry fees.

The rise in the number of tourists, which equates to a 3.3 percent increase on 2013’s figures, comes as Scotland hosted major international events such as the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup.

The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh was once again the top attraction of the year, with more than 1,639,509 visitors. The National Gallery in Edinburgh, Lomond Shores and Kelvingrove Art Gallery in Glasgow also proved to be popular.

The research, carried out by Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU), found Historic Scotland’s Edinburgh Castle was the most popular paid attraction, with 1,480,676 visitors in 2014, up 4.3 percent compared to 2013. Top paid attractions also included Edinburgh Zoo, Edinburgh Bus Tours, Stirling Castle and Glasgow’s Science Centre.

Professor John Lennon, Director of the Moffat Centre for Travel and Tourism Business Development at GCU, said: “2014 proved to be a winning year with visitor attractions enjoying the profile Scotland gained internationally as a result of key events such as the Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup, and Homecoming 2014.

“Many operators also saw positive impacts from the anniversaries associated with the First World War, which served to heighten Scotland’s profile and destination awareness, nationally and internationally.”

Other success stories include Glasgow’s Riverside Museum, which saw visitor numbers rise by 41.8 percent between 2013 and 2014 to 1,049,834, and the Helix in Falkirk, which, in its first year, welcomed an estimated 800,000 visitors, resulting in a knock-on effect in the local area and an increase of 26.4 percent of visitors to the Falkirk Wheel.

Susan Gray, communications manager at Scotland’s top tourist destination, said: “We are delighted that the National Museum of Scotland remains the most popular visitor attraction in Scotland.

“We are currently creating ten exciting new galleries of decorative art, fashion, design, and science and technology and look forward to welcoming even more visitors when these open in summer 2016.”

Alasdair Smart, manager of Lowland Canals Waterway, said: “It’s been an exciting year on Scotland’s canals and we’re immensely proud that the Falkirk Wheel has enjoyed its busiest 12 months since it first started turning back in 2002. 2014 saw more than half a million people pay a visit to the world’s only rotating boat lift and we've now had more visitors than the entire population of Scotland.

“Even more than a decade since its opening, the chance to see this iconic feat of engineering in action is still drawing huge numbers of visitors, boosting the economy of the area, and helping put Falkirk on tourists’ ‘to-see’ lists the world over. The Falkirk Wheel is the jewel in the crown of Scotland’s canal network and now, with The Helix and The Kelpies nearby, the area has even more to offer.”

Stephen Duncan, director for tourism at Historic Scotland, which runs Edinburgh and Stirling castles, said: “Edinburgh Castle continues to enthrall visitors from both home and abroad, and we are delighted that it continues to be the most visited paid-for attraction in Scotland.

“Across our estate of over 70 paid-for attractions, we are continuing to invest in our visitor experience.”

5 Free Things To See And Do In Edinburgh

Contributed by Paul Kelbie, AP

This undated photo provided by Visit Scotland shows Arthur's Seat, a dormant volcano which sits 251 meters (825 feet) above sea level, offering a unique vantage point. As the highest point in the 640-acre (260-hectare) Royal Park adjacent to Holyrood Palace, it also offers a chance to explore the remains of a 2,000-year-old hill fort. (AP Photo/Visit Scotland)

 Scotland has made headlines lately with voters rejecting independence and choosing instead to remain part of the United Kingdom. Visitors will naturally be curious about the centuries of history that led to Scotland's distinct culture. And a visit to the country's capital, Edinburgh, with its historic 16th century tenements and grandiose 19th century town houses, is a tale of two cities in one.

More than 600 years of history seep from every pore of Edinburgh's volcanic foundations. Tales of genius and enlightenment are mingled with those of body-snatchers, witches and revolutionaries.

The Old Town, dominated by the imposing medieval battlements of Edinburgh Castle, runs downhill along the Royal Mile stretching from the castle to the Queen's official Scottish residence of Holyrood Palace.

Exploring the narrow lanes and footpaths between some of the world's tallest 16th- and 17th-century merchants' houses feels like a return to the days of Daniel Defoe, the 18th-century author of Robinson Crusoe and English spy, or the 19th-century murderers Burke and Hare.

In contrast, the neoclassical New Town area built between 1767 and 1890 is a masterpiece of city planning, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a monument to the Age of Enlightenment which put Edinburgh at the heart of intellectual and scientific accomplishments

MUSEUMS

Edinburgh is full of free museums within a short walk of each other, including the National Museum of Scotland and its vast array of artifacts from across the world.

Nearby the Edinburgh Writers Museum celebrates the lives of famous Scots writers such as Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson while the Museum of Childhood, Museum of Edinburgh and The People's Story provide an informative and entertaining history of the city and its people.

For those with a slightly more macabre interest, the Police Information Center and its museum of crime contains a business-card holder made from skin of infamous body-snatcher William Burke.

ART GALLERIES

In addition to numerous museums, Edinburgh is also home to several free art galleries, including the Scottish National Gallery in the middle of the city; the National Portrait Gallery and the Scottish Gallery of Modern Art.

Old Masters sit alongside the work of some of the world's leading Impressionists and Post-Impressionists in addition to temporary exhibitions, which create a smorgasbord of culture for art lovers.

GO FOR A WALK

Edinburgh is ideal to explore independently but for those who prefer a guide there are a couple of operators, such as Sandeman's Free Walking Tour and Edinburgh Free Walking Tours, which take visitors along the Royal Mile.

Typical routes take in the views of Edinburgh Castle and St. Giles Cathedral, which has over 200 memorials to notable Scots, and the historic Grassmarket and Cowgate areas.

No walk would be complete without a visit to Greyfriars Kirkyard and the statue of Greyfriar's Bobby at the corner of Candlemaker's Row, celebrating one of Edinburgh's most famous tales about the tiny 19th-century skye terrier who spent 14 years guarding the grave of his owner.

ARTHUR'S SEAT

For the more energetic, Arthur's Seat, a dormant volcano which sits 251 meters (825 feet) above sea level, offers a unique vantage point. No other city in the world has an extinct volcano in its limits and as the highest point in the 640-acre (260-hectare) Royal Park adjacent to Holyrood Palace, it also offers a chance to explore the remains of a 2,000-year-old hill fort.

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT

At the foot of the Royal Mile, in the shadow of Arthur's Seat, is the award-winning building of the Scottish Parliament. Designed by Catalonian architect Enric Miralles, it has been hailed as both a modern architectural marvel and an over-priced blot on the landscape. You can make up your own mind with a free guided tour and access to a permanent exhibition about the Parliament or even sit in on the debates and watch democracy in action.