Rise in Stirling Castle visitors

More than half a million people visited Stirling Castle last year.

That's according to data from industry body ALVA.

It's a 24% rise from 2022.

Meanwhile, there was a 97% rise in Doune Castle visitor numbers - with just under 110,000 people heading there in 2023.

88,000 people visited Bannockburn Heritage Centre

Bernard Donoghue OBE, Director of ALVA, commented: “Our members are not yet back to hosting the same number of visitors that they did in 2019, but they are really delighted that even in a challenging cost-of-living climate visitors are still prioritising spending special time with special people at special places.”

“Whilst the extension of tax relief for museums, theatres and galleries was a very welcome announcement in the recent Budget, there was a missed opportunity to reintroduce tax free shopping for overseas visitors, which would have improved the UK's international competitiveness, and reduce VAT for tourism and hospitality which would have helped businesses repair their balance sheets.”