ASVA Visitor Trend Report, July 2015 Dashboard Summary, July 2015

Usable data was received from 263 sites. The total number of visits recorded in July 2015 Total Visitor Numbers was 3489432; this compares to 3353200 in 2014 and indicates an increase of 4.1%. Excluding Country Parks Month of July 3,489,432 4.1% p ASVA's Commentary and Observations for July 2015 Year-to-Date 14,645,913 4.1% p July 2015 shows an increase of 4.1% against July 2014 (excluding Country Parks). This is encouraging looking at the same data set a year ago as July 2014 recorded an increase of 9.8% on 2013. 58% of respondents noted an increase. Including Country Parks The changeable and largely wet weather (see final paragraph for more detail) did have an influence on visitor numbers. Month of July 4,562,284 -1.7% q Looking at the dashboard summary, we see that seven of the eleven categories showed an increase. The four that did not are all weather dependent – zoo/wildlife/ safari park/ aquarium, forest/ regional and country park, gardens and ‘other’ – Per Region all show a decrease. And by region Western Scotland is showing a decrease of 6.9%, as all the country parks are located in this region. Indoor sites appear to have benefited from the inclement weather with all 3 science centres (Our Dynamic This report was Northern Scotland 431,734 6.4% p Earth, Glasgow and Dundee Science Centres) noting an increase in footfall. produced for ASVA by Eastern Scotland 1,861,520 2.8% p

Southern Scotland 98,389 4.9% p Larger sites also showing notable increases include – Edinburgh Castle (12%), Highland Folk Museum (23%), Jacobite Western Scotland 2,170,641 -6.9% q Cruises (13%), Kelvingrove (37%), Museum of Childhood (33%), National Museum of Scotland (10%), (31%), St Giles Cathedral (7%), Summerlee (35%) and The Falkirk Wheel (7%). Significant increases too at Doune Castle (50%) the ‘Outlander’ effect? and Glenmore Visitor Centre (137%) which has seen significant upgrade and full reopening. Per Attraction Category

Weatherwise in July, Scotland saw rain or showers most days and average rainfall was over 140% of normal with totals of Heritage/historic over 150% in the Central Belt. The temperature was just over a degree below average and sunshine was just 112 hours or property/stately 1,102,343 3.3% p 91% of average. house

Museums & Galleries 1,356,507 9.4% p Zoo/wildlife/safari 197,048 -12.1% q park/aquarium Sports & activities 27,490 12.3% p Forest park/regional 1,072,852 -16.7% q park/country park Gardens 112,571 -18.5% q Science Centre 86,028 16.3% p Distillery/whisky 122,722 5.8% p related Visitor Centre 168,935 1.5% p Boat Trip/Marine 176,974 8.4% p Spend per Other 138,814 -0.8% q Ticket SPV1 Retail SPV Catering SPV ticket sold2

4.02 (134) 7.97 (65) 1.31 (94) 1.63 (12) 5.4% p 10.9% p 5.6% p 1.2% p

For further information, contact ASVA at: Confidential information for ASVA members only e-mail: [email protected] Please do not further distribute this report without permission from ASVA Tel: 0141 229 0923 Any commentary to press will be managed by ASVA

2

Year-on-Year

Visitor Numbers Visitor Numbers

Month Latest p

4.1%

3,489,432

3,353,200

3,840,140

3,489,432

2,558,823

2,552,800

2,338,837

2,256,235

2,018,242

1,511,228

1,363,347

1,304,108

1,131,847 973,287

Aug 14 Sep 14 Oct 14 Nov 14 Dec 14 Jan 15 Feb 15 Mar 15 Apr 15 May 15 Jun 15 Jul 15 Jul 15 Jul 14 Additional Comments Auchindrain A poor month within a generally dreadful summer. Numbers affected by consistent wet weather and the road is quiet with far fewer 'English families' than we would normally expect. Ticket SPV Retail SPV Catering SPV Ticket Spend

Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway Note that our July 2014 included the Day Out With Thomas weekend which is normally held in August (1st-2nd August 2015). 5.4% p

British Golf Museum Our visitor numbers saw a dramatic increase thanks to the re-opening of the Museum with its new Cafe and of course Retail Spend £4.02 The 144th Open being played in St Andrews. The museum recorded its busiest day since opening in 1990 with over 4500 £3.81 5.6% p visitors coming through the door on Saturday 18th July.

Catering Spend

Caithness Horizons This is a very high figure for us, as we held a week long Viking Festival that incorporated a number of outdoor activities that 1.2% p

£1.63

attracted big audiences. £1.61

£1.31 £1.24 Camperdown Wildlife Centre Poor weather, rain!

Chatelherault Country Park Very wet weather during July may have contributed to a decline in visitor numbers. Jul 15 Jul 14 Grampian Transport Museum The poor weather in July helped with visitor numbers.

Macduff Marine Aquarium Visitor numbers for July were 20% up on July last year possibly due to: Bad summer weather, Press activity in late

July regarding the aquarium gaining a TripAdvisor Traveller's Choice Award 2015 as top aquarium in the UK.

Spend per

Mclean Museum & Art Gallery July was extra busy. The weather was bad, which encouraged visits, a large number of cruise ship passengers visited £7.97 ticket sold

and there was also a popular art show on view. 10.9% p £7.19

St Giles' Cathedral Our door counter was slightly faulty, so these figures are an estimate.

The Falkirk Wheel Poor weather in July but visitor numbers appeared to hold up well.

The Glasgow School of Art A reminder that The Glasgow School of Art remains open to visitors for several building and city walking tours, with a brand new visitor centre exhibition space and shop. ______1 Ticket spend per visitor (Ticket SPV) divides the total ticket revenue by the number of visitors from ticket-revenue submitting sites. Jul 15 Jul 14 2 Spend per ticket sold divides the total ticket revenue by the number of tickets sold. 3

Site-specific report July 2015

u Responses for July 2015 were received from 263 sites. u 9 sites requested confidentiality, and although their numbers have been included in the calculations, they do not appear in the tables below. u 10 sites have not submitted results this month last year and thus do not appear in the tables below.

July July 2015 2014 Y-o-Y 2015 2014 Y-o-Y Aberdour Castle 2385 2537 -6% 6827 4054 68% Aberlour Distillery 1481 1581 -6% Clyde Muirshiel - Castle Semple Country Park 28744 40839 -30% 686 808 -15% Clyde Muirshiel - Greenock Cut Visitor Centre 7526 7055 7% Almond Valley Heritage Trust 18773 21213 -12% Clyde Muirshiel - Lunderston Bay 22394 23895 -6% Arbroath Abbey 1892 1965 -4% Clyde Muirshiel – Muirshiel Country Park 2571 3269 -21% Arduaine Garden 2037 1596 28% and Art Gallery 2891 5606 -48% Argyll's Lodgings 8840 7987 11% Clynelish Distillery Visitor Centre 936 903 4% Auchindrain 755 989 -24% Corgarff Castle 1008 487 107% Bachelors' Club 82 134 -39% Cragganmore Distillery Visitor Centre 944 877 8% Balvenie Castle 804 861 -7% Craigievar Castle 1872 1999 -6% Bannockburn 5963 7627 -22% Craigmillar Castle 3108 3446 -10% 466 259 80% Craignethan Castle 874 752 16% Benmore Botanic Garden 6502 6187 5% Crarae Garden 1147 970 18% Bishops & Earls Palaces 3812 3442 11% Crathes Castle, Garden & Estate 6432 6184 4% Black House 2845 2797 2% Crichton Castle 784 588 33% Blackness Castle 3806 2792 36% Crossraguel Abbey 582 514 13% Blair Athol Distillery Visitor Centre 10510 10489 0% Culloden Battlefield visitor centre 17855 14293 25% Bonawe Iron Furnace 747 696 7% Culzean Castle 12274 11167 10% Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway 9786 10679 -8% Culzean Country Park 23415 20244 16% Bothwell Castle 1481 1204 23% Dallas Dhu Distillery 2166 1897 14% Branklyn Garden 979 672 46% Dalwhinnie Distillery Visitor Centre 6043 5502 10% Brodick Castle 5368 4708 14% 2250 1157 94% Brodick Garden & Country Park 8041 7700 4% Dawyck Botanic Garden 3393 3900 -13% Brodie Castle 2355 2350 0% Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery 4728 4479 6% Brough of Birsay 1315 1231 7% Dirleton Castle 3815 4433 -14% Broughton House & Garden 1885 1219 55% Discovery Point 8038 7665 5% Museum 6124 6851 -11% Doune Castle 11775 7854 50% Caerlaverock Castle 5751 5522 4% Drum Castle, Garden & Estate 4487 3084 45% Cairnpapple Hill 248 366 -32% Drumpellier Country Park 108441 113301 -4% Caithness Horizons 8216 14179 -42% Dryburgh Abbey 3639 3636 0% Calderglen Country Park 86276 108026 -20% Dumbarton Castle 2757 2694 2% Callendar House 5663 4541 25% & Camera Obscura 2143 2303 -7% Camperdown Wildlife Centre 13030 17150 -24% Dunblane Cathedral 2597 2754 -6% Caol Ila Distillery Visitor Centre 1154 1161 -1% Dundee Science Centre 8309 5322 56% Cardhu Distillery Visitor Centre 1629 1422 15% Dundonald Castle 1116 2527 -56% Cardoness Castle 1013 928 9% Dundrennan Abbey 601 623 -4% Castle Campbell 1998 2077 -4% Dunfermline Palace 2640 2315 14% Castle Fraser, Garden & Estate 2239 2362 -5% Dunstaffnage Castle 3794 3462 10% Chatelherault Country Park 66481 72308 -8% Edinburgh Bus Tours 63161 65159 -3% Centre for Contemporary Arts 29139 29006 0% Edinburgh Butterfly & Insect World 11471 9431 22% 4

July July 2015 2014 Y-o-Y 2015 2014 Y-o-Y Edinburgh Castle 249923 223107 12% Huntly Castle 2413 1860 30% Edinburgh Zoo 88629 109131 -19% Inchcolm Abbey 4561 6280 -27% Edzell Castle 1123 1571 -29% Inchmahome Priory 3353 2148 56% Elcho Castle 1248 1066 17% Inveraray Castle 18276 17651 4% Elgin Cathedral 6083 5149 18% Inveresk Lodge Garden 209 303 -31% Falkland Palace & Garden 6249 6008 4% Inverewe Garden & Estate 9484 12691 -25% FC Scotland - Clatteringshaws Visitor Centre 5627 6012 -6% Iona Abbey 11497 10737 7% FC Scotland - Glenmore Visitor Centre 13874 5861 137% J M Barrie's Birthplace 335 546 -39% FC Scotland - Glentress 22632 21951 3% Jarlshof 3986 3387 18% FC Scotland - Glentrool Visitor Centre 5260 5430 -3% Jedburgh Abbey 4156 4036 3% FC Scotland - The Lodge Forest Visitor Centre 17985 17763 1% John Gray Centre 13385 14494 -8% Fort George 10743 9778 10% Johnstons of Elgin 17851 17142 4% Fyvie Castle 1892.5 2830 -33% Kellie Castle & Garden 2354 2544 -7% Gallery of Modern Art 59338 85114 -30% Kelpies Tours 4773 3165 51% Geilston Garden 958 1098 -13% Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum 167798 122748 37% Georgian House 4704 4734 -1% Kildrummy Castle 984 774 27% Gladstone's Land 4226 4304 -2% Kisimul Castle 1491 1679 -11% Glasgow Cathedral 27223 50001 -46% Lagavulin Distillery Visitor Centre 1881 1294 45% Glasgow Museums Resource Centre 1359 703 93% Lauriston Castle 9019 8315 8% Glasgow Science Centre 36507 30285 21% Linlithgow Palace 18922 19780 -4% Glen Ord Distillery Visitor Centre 3257 3409 -4% Loch Leven 3244 4489 -28% Glencoe 4343 4238 2% Logan Botanic Garden 3948 3553 11% Glenfinnan Monument 2436 3362 -28% Low Parks Museum 2681 3299 -19% Glenkinchie Distillery Visitor Centre 4528 4105 10% Macduff Marine Aquarium 8891 7288 22% Glenlivet Distillery 8082 8841 -9% Mackintosh Queen’s Cross 576 677 -15% Glenluce Abbey 55 133 -59% Maclellans Castle 1154 998 16% Grampian Transport Museum 5549 4858 14% Malleny Garden 558 678 -18% Greenbank Garden 2808 2322 21% Mclean Museum & Art Gallery 4674 3896 20% Gurness Broch 2599 2642 -2% Mcmanus Galleries 12446 13530 -8% Hackness 462 338 37% Meigle Museum 488 579 -16% Haddo House 309 612 -50% Melrose Abbey 8571 8434 2% Hermitage Castle 1318 551 139% Moirlanich Longhouse 211 148 43% Museum of Lead Mining 1393 1222 14% Mugdock Country Park 61838 61681 0% Highland Folk Museum - Newtonmore 14919 12115 23% Museum of Childhood 34701 26140 33% Highland Wildlife Park 22005 20638 7% 10665 10186 5% Hill of Tarvit Mansionhouse & Garden 1035 1189 -13% National Mining Museum Scotland 5761 7199 -20% Holmwood 568 546 4% National Museum of Flight 24024 21437 12% House for an Art Lover 1276 1119 14% National Museum of Rural Life 12229 10339 18% House Of Dun 1000 1073 -7% National Museum of Scotland 181891 165661 10% House of the Binns 806 823 -2% 85121 80017 6% Hugh Miller Museum & Birthplace Cottage 655 774 -15% The Nelson Monument 3670 4758 -23% Huntingtower Castle 1164 1196 -3% Nevis Range 23147 20236 14% 5

July July 2015 2014 Y-o-Y 2015 2014 Y-o-Y New Abbey Corn Mill 1006 869 16% St Andrews Castle 11827 12839 -8% Visitor Centre 9024 8091 12% St Andrews Cathedral 5245 7249 -28% New Lanark World Heritage Site 47542 43418 9% St Giles' Cathedral 150756 140673 7% Newark Castle 1222 842 45% St Serfs 611 849 -28% Newhailes 838 717 17% St Vigeans 35 55 -36% Oban Distillery Visitor Centre 8412 7754 8% Stanley Mills 1384 1297 7% Our Dynamic Earth 41212 38346 7% Stirling Castle 75723 74449 2% Palacerigg Country Park 74599 73548 1% Strathclyde Country Park 558185 727057 -23% The People's Story 8195 7756 6% Strathisla Distillery 2668 2234 19% Pitmedden Garden 2854 3499 -18% Summerlee Museum 32499 24042 35% Pollok House 4136 5412 -24% Sweetheart Abbey 1385 1444 -4% Preston Mill 458 342 34% Talisker Distillery Visitor Centre 10599 8984 18% Priorwood Garden 1166 858 36% Tantallon Castle 7122 7785 -9% Provand's Lordship 13515 11375 19% Tenement House 2139 1816 18% Queensferry Museum 957 524 83% The Black Watch Castle and Museum 1250 1340 -7% Riverside Museum 162821 124498 31% The 15236 18865 -19% Robert Burns Birthplace Museum 22160 29604 -25% The Falkirk Wheel 96598 90179 7% Robert Burns Centre 3462 4379 -21% The Famous Grouse Experience 7867 7716 2% Robert Burns House 1999 1656 21% The Hill House 3346 3502 -4% Robert Smail's Printing Works 313 283 11% The lighthouse 21555 28170 -23% Rosslyn Chapel 26530 24731 7% The Museum of the University of St Andrews 4237 4948 -14% Rothesay Castle 2003 1779 13% The People's Palace Museum 45212 49879 -9% Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 76528 99769 -23% The Real Mary King's Close 26316 28000 -6% Royal Burgh of Culross 1753 2022 -13% The Royal Yacht Britannia 42201 39257 7% Royal Lochnagar Distillery Visitor Centre 2036 2024 1% The Scotch Whisky Experience 35219 34159 3% Scotland Street School Museum 5881 4883 20% The Scottish Parliament 27824 26400 5% ScotlandsPeople Centre 1494 1486 1% The St Mungo Museum of Religious Life And Art 17980 17909 0% Scotland's Secret Bunker 5665 5502 3% The Willow Tea Rooms 16212 17545 -8% The Scott Monument 11080 12788 -13% Threave Castle 2868 2490 15% Scottish Crannog Centre 3519 3644 -3% Threave Estate 6226 4999 25% Scottish Dolphin Centre 17175 19699 -13% Tolquhon Castle 965 574 68% Scottish Fisheries Museum 10310 10474 -2% Tomatin Distillery Visitor Centre 5491 3946 39% Scottish National Gallery 159611 154126 4% Tormiston Mill 5020 5142 -2% Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art 59195 35858 65% Tullibardine 943 1374 -31% Scottish National Portrait Gallery 26780 27398 -2% Urquhart Castle 68552 64944 6% Scottish Seabird Centre 35847 40763 -12% 1585 1345 18% Seton Collegiate 339 417 -19% Weaver's Cottage 247 218 13% Skara Brae 21527 19107 13% Writers Museum 6132 6389 -4% Smailholm Tower 1023 1011 1% Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum 2962 3607 -18% Souter Johnnie's Cottage 273 276 -1% Spynie Palace 1392 1377 1%