Rise in visitors to local tourist attractions

New figures show a rise in visitor numbers for three local attractions.

More than 620,000 people visited Stirling Castle last year - up 2% from the year before.

Meanwhile, there was a 6% increase in the number of people heading to Doune Castle, and the Battle of Bannockburn site recorded a 19% rise in numbers.

126,532 people attended Doune Castle last year - with 126,196 visiting the Battle of Bannockburn site.

The data comes from the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA).

Bernard Donoghue OBE, Director of ALVA, added: “Visitor attractions are the places that people prize most and provide the experiences that people, even in a cost- of-living crisis, are most loathe to give up. Our visitors want to spend special time, with special people in special places.”

“In a time of unpredictable futures, uncertain economics, global insecurities, economic challenges, and an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, the UK public are more tactical than ever in deciding how they spend their leisure pounds and their leisure hours. Their expectations of a great visit are higher now than they have ever been. The day trip to an attraction now competes within the family budget with free things to do, as well as subscriptions to streaming channels. The competition has never been greater, the choice never so broad.”

“2025 was financially the toughest since the pandemic and many of our members have had to undergo restructuring after the increase in employers' National Insurance contributions, lowering of the NI thresholds, and the above inflation increases in the national minimum wage, implemented in April 2025, alongside the pressures of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.