ASVA Visitor Trend Report, December 2014 Dashboard Summary, December 2014

Usable data was received from 166 sites. The total number of visits recorded in December 2014 Total Visitor Numbers was 1485404; this compares to 1456009 in 2013 and indicates an increase of 2.0%. Month of December 1,485,404 2.0% p The total number of visitors reported for 2014 in our annual report was 27,141,519 (excluding Country Parks) Year-to-Date 32,266,790 3.9% p and 36,891,788 (including Country Parks). The figure reported in this report is different due to a slightly different sample of attractions that provided figures for December only. Excluding Country Parks

ASVA's Commentary and Observations for December 2014 Month of December 1,131,847 3.3% p

From the comparable responses received, visitor numbers to ASVA member sites in December 2014 show an increase of 2.0% on December 2013. 55% of respondents noted an increase, and looking at the dashboard summary, 7 sectors noted Per Region an increase in footfall. The 3 Scottish National Galleries sites are now using an electronic counter which gives a more This report was accurate figure than the manual method used in the past. The result is that their December 2014 figures are showing a Northern Scotland 72,689 12.5% p 31% increase over 2013. In 2015, the comparison will be ‘like for like’. produced for ASVA by Eastern Scotland 630,098 8.3% p

A number of larger sites saw significant increases in visitor numbers. These include: Castle, New World Southern Scotland 53,027 -1.1% q Heritage Site, New Lanark Visitor Centre, , Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and St Giles Cathedral. Western Scotland 729,590 -3.5% q

The beginning of December 2014 was largely cold but sunny. However, as the month progressed low pressure largely took control bringing considerable precipitation. Scotland saw 140mm of rain which is 45% above normal. Despite the low Per Attraction Category pressure, Scotland still enjoyed 39 hours of sunshine which is 108% of average. Although the place with the least sunshine in the whole of the UK was Aviemore with just 20 hours all month. Scotland also had the coldest place, Braemar recorded -3.8C on 11 December. Heritage/historic property/stately 235,555 17.2% p house Museums & Galleries 554,622 -1.9% q Zoo/wildlife/safari 27,075 -3.9% q park/aquarium Sports & activities 5,715 65.2% p Forest park/regional 353,557 -1.7% q park/country park Gardens 35,605 24.2% p Science Centre 23,043 7.5% p Distillery/whisky 4,555 8.4% p related Visitor Centre 119,685 0.8% p Boat Trip/Marine 32,608 3.7% p Spend per Gift-Aid Other 93,384 -0.5% q Ticket SPV1 Retail SPV Catering SPV ticket sold2 per Visitor

5.79 (71) 8.91 (31) 1.88 (67) 0.96 (23) 2.34 (7) 4.7% p 12.5% p 94.6% p 18.0% 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

Visitor Numbers Year-on-Year Visitor Numbers

2.0% p

Month

1,485,404 1,456,009

Latest

4,844,813

4,174,599

3,110,528

3,281,023

2,984,091

2,744,180

2,725,207

2,141,505

2,060,789

1,763,580

1,485,404 951,072

Jan 14 Feb 14 Mar 14 Apr 14 May 14 Jun 14 Jul 14 Aug 14 Sep 14 Oct 14 Nov 14 Dec 14 Dec 14 Dec 13

Spend per visitor (Avg, per site) Ticket Spend

4.7% p

£5.79

Retail Spend

£5.53

94.6% p

£5.79

£5.67

£5.40

£5.38

Catering Spend

£4.48

£4.40

£4.35

£4.27

£4.25

£4.12 £4.07

£3.95 18.0% p

£2.31

£1.88

£2.00

£1.88

£1.81

£1.77

£1.73

£1.66

£1.61

£1.53

£1.50

£1.34

£1.28

£1.25

£1.20

£1.17

£1.15

£0.97

£0.96

£0.96

£0.82

£0.87

£0.83

£0.81

£0.81

£0.70

£0.63 £0.16

Jan 14 Feb 14 Mar 14 Apr 14 May 14 Jun 14 Jul 14 Aug 14 Sep 14 Oct 14 Nov 14 Dec 14 Dec 14 Dec 13

Spend per ticket sold (Avg, per site) Spend per

£8.91 ticket sold

12.5% p

£7.92

£9.78

£9.58

£8.91

£8.87

£8.79

£8.37

£8.33

£8.28

£7.82

£7.57

£7.54

£4.96

Jan 14 Feb 14 Mar 14 Apr 14 May 14 Jun 14 Jul 14 Aug 14 Sep 14 Oct 14 Nov 14 Dec 14 Dec 14 Dec 13 3

Additional Comments

Auchindrain (Our standard rider for 'winter' figures ....). Between November and March we welcome informal visits by locals and out-of-season tourists, but opening times are limited to when staff are here for other reasons; our main visitor facilities are closed and we do not charge for admission.

Callendar House Our Christmas offer focused far more on paid-activity. These events sold very well but it did mean a move away from community music events that have in the past brought with them a signifiacnt family group audience. (e.g Extended family visit to see children's Choirs)

Chatelherault Country Park Stormy weather at the beginning of December resulted in a drop in visitors.

Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery Closed for the Festive perios from 20/12/14 - 04/01/15.

Discovery Point Ongoing disruption from major roadworks and Waterfront regeneration works.

Dundee Science Centre We were quieter than excepted throughout December.

Edinburgh Bus Tours The move back to Waverley Bridge has helped us greatly giving us better visibility.

Highland Wildlife Park There was a landslide on the B9152 which made it very difficult for customers to access the park due to limited diversion signs that were in place. Our antlers Cafe is still undergoing refurbishment, this is still having a knock on affect to our Cafe takings.

Mugdock Country Park Events including 32 pantomime performances, Santa Dash and Christmas light switch-on brought footfall to the park in anotherwise quiet month.

New Lanark Visitor Centre The New Lanark Christmas Experience ran on weekends from 28th November until Sunday 21st December, plus Christmas Eve.

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1 Ticket spend per visitor (Ticket SPV) divides the total ticket revenue by the number of visitors from ticket-revenue submitting sites. 2 Spend per ticket sold divides the total ticket revenue by the number of tickets sold. 4

Site-specific report December 2014

u Responses for December 2014 were received from 166 sites. u 21 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.

December December 2014 2013 Y-o-Y 2014 2013 Y-o-Y Abbot House 1994 150 1229% FC Scotland - Glenmore Visitor Centre 6867 4754 44% Aberdour Castle 263 279 -6% FC Scotland - Glentress 15571 15606 0% Aberlour Distillery 91 61 49% FC Scotland - Kirroughtree Visitor Centre 3388 3748 -10% Almond Valley Heritage Trust 3984 2955 35% FC Scotland - Glentrool Visitor Centre 1029 1050 -2% Arbroath Abbey 191 247 -23% FC Scotland - The Lodge Forest Visitor Centre 2355 3117 -24% Arduaine Garden 65 47 38% Fort George 613 622 -1% Argyll's Lodgings 1355 1224 11% Gallery of Modern Art 38334 39414 -3% Auchindrain 17 8 113% Cathedral 7248 3518 106% Black House 2 21 -90% Glasgow Museums Resource Centre 800 666 20% Blackness Castle 443 491 -10% Glasgow Science Centre 21644 18579 16% Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway 11857 13702 -13% Glencoe 94 274 -66% Castle 325 283 15% Greenbank Garden 163 1136 -86% Museum 849 904 -6% Highland Wildlife Park 2734 3246 -16% Caerlaverock Castle 729 541 35% Huntingtower Castle 146 225 -35% Callendar House 1265 1337 -5% Huntly Castle 142 134 6% Camperdown Wildlife Centre 3519 2923 20% Inveresk Lodge Garden 10 6 67% Castle Campbell 64 338 -81% Iona Abbey 109 87 25% 4084 7682 -47% Jacobite Cruises Ltd 4471 2856 57% Craigmillar Castle 750 700 7% Jedburgh Abbey 361 413 -13% Crathes Castle, Garden & Estate 146 282 -48% Johnstons of Elgin 18313 19168 -4% Culloden Battlefield visitor centre 731 1373 -47% Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum 50931 68097 -25% Culzean Country Park 2145 1541 39% Lauriston Castle 3068 3121 -2% Dallas Dhu Distillery 88 83 6% Linlithgow Palace 1175 1272 -8% Centre 295 621 -52% Low Parks Museum 1406 2711 -48% Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery 530 558 -5% Macduff Marine Aquarium 861 1026 -16% Dirleton Castle 588 728 -19% Mackintosh Queen’s Cross 924 1069 -14% Doune Castle 1498 1014 48% Malleny Garden 24 67 -64% Drum Castle, Garden & Estate 422 55 667% Mclean Museum & Art Gallery 2246 1539 46% Drumpellier Country Park 29700 28570 4% Mcmanus Galleries 9369 10543 -11% Dryburgh Abbey 283 275 3% Melrose Abbey 533 461 16% Dumbarton Castle 309 329 -6% 833 640 30% & Camera Obscura 349 431 -19% Mugdock Country Park 35736 36631 -2% Dunblane Cathedral 849 723 17% Museum of Childhood 9593 11335 -15% Dundee Science Centre 1399 2855 -51% 5169 3766 37% Dunfermline Palace 296 224 32% National Mining Museum Scotland 3030 2412 26% Dunstaffnage Castle 130 177 -27% National Museum of Flight 694 1232 -44% Edinburgh Bus Tours 29745 29849 0% National Museum of Rural Life 4245 3968 7% Edinburgh Butterfly & Insect World 2257 2335 -3% National Museum of Scotland 91827 98664 -7% Edinburgh Castle 71560 64350 11% 33917 32093 6% Elgin Cathedral 128 68 88% The Nelson Monument 658 1241 -47% 5

December December 2014 2013 Y-o-Y 2014 2013 Y-o-Y Nevis Range 5621 3185 76% The Museum of the University of St Andrews 569 837 -32% New Abbey Corn Mill 27 37 -27% The People's Palace Museum 12181 10658 14% New Lanark Visitor Centre 9384 7972 18% The Real Mary King's Close 9100 9600 -5% New Lanark World Heritage Site 37792 28944 31% The Royal Yacht Britannia 12555 11807 6% Paisley Museum 2578 5551 -54% The Scottish Parliament 13299 21398 -38% Palacerigg Country Park 13149 12469 5% The St Mungo Museum of Religious Life And Art 6550 4824 36% The People's Story 2990 2738 9% The Willow Tea Rooms 11548 10702 8% Pitmedden Garden 133 96 39% Threave Estate 642 1641 -61% Pollok House 4460 7574 -41% Tomatin Distillery Visitor Centre 988 364 171% Priorwood Garden 17 22 -23% Tormiston Mill 237 233 2% Provand's Lordship 3593 3034 18% Tullibardine 647 1140 -43% Queensferry Museum 153 240 -36% Urquhart Castle 6980 5558 26% Riverside Museum 50420 45649 10% Writers Museum 2450 2164 13% Robert Burns Birthplace Museum 13677 19653 -30% Robert Burns Centre 2477 2266 9% Robert Burns House 213 224 -5% Rosslyn Chapel 4310 3840 12% Rothesay Castle 162 82 98% Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 35193 27300 29% Scotland Street School Museum 3960 2601 52% ScotlandsPeople Centre 1092 998 9% The Scott Monument 4092 2524 62% Scottish Fisheries Museum 191 225 -15% Scottish National Gallery 102365 71667 43% Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art 13857 18644 -26% Scottish National Portrait Gallery 25924 17910 45% Scottish Seabird Centre 10882 11401 -5% 289 297 -3% Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum 1166 1740 -33% St Andrews Castle 1627 1171 39% St Andrews Cathedral 726 496 46% St Giles' Cathedral 59082 46204 28% St Vigeans 12 16 -25% Stirling Castle 12101 12055 0% 242690 242589 0% Strathisla Distillery 10 60 -83% Summerlee Museum 5673 3905 45% Sweetheart Abbey 70 70 0% Tantallon Castle 1020 1069 -5% The 9295 11129 -16% The Falkirk Wheel 15582 16780 -7% The Hill House 737 706 4%