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

Usable data was received from 253 sites. The total number of visits recorded in May 2015 Total Visitor Numbers was 2550473; this compares to 2356932 in 2014 and indicates an increase of 8.2%. Excluding Country Parks Month of May 2,550,473 8.2% p ASVA's Commentary and Observations for May 2015 Year-to-Date 8,595,331 4.1% p May 2015 shows an increase of 8.2% over May 2014 (excluding Country Parks). 65% of respondents noted an increase. Overall this looks like a good month for attractions as May 2014 was also good with an increase over 2013 of 5.4%. The weather (see final paragraph for more detail) appears to have been a factor at some, but not all, weather dependent sites Including Country Parks where visitor numbers were substantially down. Please note that figures can only be used when there is comparable data Month of May 3,517,207 2.3% p for both years. Per Region ‘Outlander’ appears to have encouraged additional visits to some sites including Royal Burgh of Culross, Culloden Battlefield, Preston Mill, Falkland Palace and Doune Castle. Generally the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) sites are This report was Northern Scotland 276,603 10.5% p showing an increase and as well as the afore-mentioned they note the following. produced for ASVA by Eastern Scotland 1,324,848 6.1% p

Southern Scotland 101,531 8.3% p “Drum Castle’s new art gallery opened in April and that has driven additional footfall. Burn’s Birthplace ran a ticket offer Western Scotland 1,814,225 -1.8% q through ITISON to encourage additional footfall during May. Georgian House has a new butler’s room experience and Gladstone’s Land have been having daily birds of prey exhibitions outside to encourage more people to come in. Hill House we think are attracting more Mackintosh enthusiasts due to Glasgow School of Arts closure. Finally Brodick seems Per Attraction Category to be reaping the benefits from the RET [Road Equivalent Tax] fares coming in on CalMac.”

Heritage/historic It is worth noting that the Falkirk area has seen additional footfall at existing attractions such as the Falkirk Wheel (18%), property/stately 757,918 10.8% p Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway (9%) and Callendar House (33%). The latter has introduced a new electronic counting system in house 2015 so figures may be more accurate than in the past. There may also be a benefit from new attractions in the area – Museums & Galleries 1,005,271 5.7% p Kelpies Tour (4617) and the Helix (864). These sites were not open in May last year so there are no comparable figures. Zoo/wildlife/safari 100,462 0.3% p park/aquarium Weatherwise, May 2015 was unsettled with cool, wet weather dominating for much of the month. Western parts of the Sports & activities 37,778 -9.7% q country saw temperatures that were 1.6C below normal. Rainfall was 147% of the normal amount (116mm) and sunshine Forest park/regional too was limited with 173 hours recorded (92% of the 1981-2010 mean). No surprise then that Scotland recorded the 966,734 -10.7% q lowest mean average temperature in Lerwick of 9.5C in the UK and lowest overnight temperature at Tulloch Bridge (-5.6C, park/country park p May1st). Heaviest daily rainfall was 55mm at Tyndrum on May 3rd. Gardens 138,906 25.3% Science Centre 40,371 14.7% p Distillery/whisky 109,418 8.3% p related Visitor Centre 144,182 11.7% p Boat Trip/Marine 118,846 13.7% p Spend per Other 97,321 -2.1% q Ticket SPV1 Retail SPV Catering SPV ticket sold2

4.07 (137) 7.69 (67) 1.57 (96) 1.54 (11) -1.8% q -8.2% q -4.4% q -10.6% q

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

8.2% p

Month

3,840,140

2,550,473

3,225,933

Latest

2,356,932

2,550,473

2,338,837

2,406,283

2,256,235

2,018,242

1,511,228

1,363,347

1,304,108

1,131,847 973,287

Jun 14 Jul 14 Aug 14 Sep 14 Oct 14 Nov 14 Dec 14 Jan 15 Feb 15 Mar 15 Apr 15 May 15 May 15 May 14

Additional Comments Ticket SPV Retail SPV Catering SPV Ticket Spend

-1.8% q

Edinburgh Bus Tours Disappointing month, we felt the city was quieter than usual.

£4.14 Retail Spend £4.07 Floors Castle The Castle attraction was opened for the start of the season on the 1st May. The Castle attraction was closed to the public -4.4% q for one day due to a private event. School term and not particulary good weather has had effect.

Group business is up, individual is down. Retail is up as we have revamped and restocked our Castle gift-shop. Catering Spend

-10.6% q £1.73

Groam House Museum Relatively quiet. No obvious reasons apart from the poor weather. £1.64

£1.57 £1.54

New Lanark Visitor Centre On Monday 4th May we held our annual Spring Food and Gift Fair. The weather was very pleasant and the day was a great success with an estimated 2,000 visitors. Throughout the month we offered a 'May Madness' deal of 25% off Visitor Centre tickets. Our Spring Groupon deal also had to be used by 31 May so we saw an influx in visitors using vouchers who had waited until the end of the validity period to redeem their vouchers. May 15 May 14

Scottish Fisheries Museum Open day with free entry on the 30th May.

Spend per £8.37

ticket sold £7.69 -8.2% q

______1 Ticket spend per visitor (Ticket SPV) divides the total ticket revenue by the number of visitors from ticket-revenue submitting sites. May 15 May 14 2 Spend per ticket sold divides the total ticket revenue by the number of tickets sold. 3

Site-specific report May 2015

u Responses for May 2015 were received from 253 sites. u 10 sites requested confidentiality, and although their numbers have been included in the calculations, they do not appear in the tables below. u 5 sites have not submitted results this month last year and thus do not appear in the tables below.

May May 2015 2014 Y-o-Y 2015 2014 Y-o-Y Aberdour Castle 1750 1271 38% Clyde Muirshiel - Castle Semple Country Park 31186 35663 -13% Aberlour Distillery 1777 1770 0% Clyde Muirshiel - Greenock Cut Visitor Centre 7917 6533 21% 950 655 45% Clyde Muirshiel - Lunderston Bay 19930 19391 3% Almond Valley Heritage Trust 16776 17811 -6% Clyde Muirshiel – Muirshiel Country Park 3612 3470 4% Arbroath Abbey 1187 1144 4% and Art Gallery 3434 3423 0% Arduaine Garden 2919 2688 9% Clynelish Distillery Visitor Centre 801 960 -17% Argyll's Lodgings 5657 4481 26% Corgarff Castle 413 125 230% Auchindrain 477 521 -8% Cragganmore Distillery Visitor Centre 930 947 -2% Bachelors' Club 156 79 97% Craigievar Castle 1317 953 38% Balvenie Castle 566 412 37% Craigmillar Castle 2342 1993 18% Bannockburn 6586 5227 26% Craignethan Castle 588 506 16% 379 310 22% Crarae Garden 2400 1555 54% Benmore Botanic Garden 6832 6590 4% Crathes Castle, Garden & Estate 5607 3464 62% Bishops & Earls Palaces 2271 1946 17% Crichton Castle 346 413 -16% Black House 1866 1606 16% Crossraguel Abbey 488 382 28% Blackness Castle 2151 1668 29% Culloden Battlefield visitor centre 15721 9925 58% Blair Athol Distillery Visitor Centre 8748 9097 -4% Culzean Castle 10529 6240 69% Bonawe Iron Furnace 421 395 7% Culzean Country Park 16338 10630 54% Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway 9518 8762 9% Dallas Dhu Distillery 1239 890 39% Bothwell Castle 1215 981 24% Dalwhinnie Distillery Visitor Centre 4448 5138 -13% Braemar Castle 1060 418 154% 1240 1079 15% Branklyn Garden 2877 2666 8% Dawyck Botanic Garden 4232 5246 -19% Brodick Castle 4400 2528 74% Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery 4197 3401 23% Brodick Garden & Country Park 6923 4030 72% Dirleton Castle 2873 2805 2% Brodie Castle 4548 1401 225% Discovery Point 4958 4420 12% Broughton House & Garden 2147 1177 82% Doune Castle 7396 4388 69% Museum 3212 3371 -5% Drum Castle, Garden & Estate 2313 1838 26% Caerlaverock Castle 3749 3169 18% Drumpellier Country Park 87128 111432 -22% Cairnpapple Hill 200 280 -29% Dryburgh Abbey 2031 2152 -6% Calderglen Country Park 85548 96695 -12% Dumbarton Castle 2000 1491 34% Callendar House 5185 3900 33% & Camera Obscura 1935 2799 -31% Camperdown Wildlife Centre 6882 8149 -16% Dunblane Cathedral 2399 2126 13% Caol Ila Distillery Visitor Centre 1719 1454 18% Dundee Science Centre 5216 4357 20% Cardhu Distillery Visitor Centre 1647 1422 16% Dundrennan Abbey 452 381 19% Cardoness Castle 648 516 26% Dunfermline Palace 856 1437 -40% Castle Campbell 1428 1238 15% Dunstaffnage Castle 1997 1968 1% Castle Fraser, Garden & Estate 2169 819 165% Edinburgh Bus Tours 38901 43042 -10% Chatelherault Country Park 50875 50061 2% Edinburgh Butterfly & Insect World 9293 9357 -1% Centre for Contemporary Arts 27300 27025 1% Edinburgh Castle 153462 147431 4% 4791 5122 -6% Edinburgh Zoo 69096 67124 3% 4

May May 2015 2014 Y-o-Y 2015 2014 Y-o-Y Edzell Castle 788 825 -4% Inchmahome Priory 1930 1952 -1% Elcho Castle 745 600 24% Inveraray Castle 12426 11855 5% Elgin Cathedral 2654 1962 35% Inveresk Lodge Garden 184 153 20% Falkland Palace & Garden 6231 4165 50% Inverewe Garden & Estate 7309 6873 6% Floors Castle 2949 3604 -18% Iona Abbey 9232 9005 3% FC Scotland - Clatteringshaws Visitor Centre 5192 4775 9% J M Barrie's Birthplace 228 315 -28% FC Scotland - Glenmore Visitor Centre 10618 5743 85% Jarlshof 1995 2028 -2% FC Scotland - Glentress 24472 27089 -10% Jedburgh Abbey 2370 1973 20% FC Scotland - Kirroughtree Visitor Centre 7394 8314 -11% John Gray Centre 16351 16306 0% FC Scotland - Glentrool Visitor Centre 4566 4949 -8% Johnstons of Elgin 16477 16277 1% Fort George 5876 4910 20% Kellie Castle & Garden 1722 1275 35% Fyvie Castle 1555 1579 -2% Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum 136350 101642 34% Gallery of Modern Art 49082 50258 -2% Kildrummy Castle 550 501 10% Geilston Garden 1470 1362 8% Kirriemuir Camera Obscura 11 108 -90% Georgian House 4773 3370 42% Kisimul Castle 610 792 -23% Gladstone's Land 4209 2927 44% Lagavulin Distillery Visitor Centre 3292 1385 138% Glasgow Cathedral 11868 14277 -17% Lauriston Castle 8433 9586 -12% Glasgow Museums Resource Centre 1127 1428 -21% Linlithgow Palace 5534 5134 8% Glasgow Science Centre 35155 30830 14% Loch Leven 1285 2036 -37% Glen Ord Distillery Visitor Centre 2747 2853 -4% Logan Botanic Garden 2593 2416 7% Glencoe 23677 26438 -10% Low Parks Museum 2261 2329 -3% Glenfinnan Monument 2487 2548 -2% Macduff Marine Aquarium 4698 4369 8% Glenkinchie Distillery Visitor Centre 5712 3949 45% Mackintosh Queen’s Cross 1118 670 67% Glenlivet Distillery 5612 6804 -18% Maclellans Castle 557 454 23% Glenluce Abbey 141 121 17% Malleny Garden 253 482 -48% Grampian Transport Museum 3836 2750 39% Mclean Museum & Art Gallery 3537 3670 -4% Greenbank Garden 2713 1932 40% Mcmanus Galleries 12288 12950 -5% Groam House Museum 843 863 -2% Meigle Museum 418 327 28% Gurness Broch 1313 1374 -4% Melrose Abbey 5470 4650 18% Hackness 8 178 -96% Moirlanich Longhouse 126 103 22% Haddo House 261 366 -29% Mugdock Country Park 62321 61651 1% Hermitage Castle 808 762 6% Museum of Childhood 20630 17144 20% Museum of Lead Mining 1181 879 34% 7418 8836 -16% - Newtonmore 7685 6666 15% National Mining Museum Scotland 4474 5545 -19% Hill of Tarvit Mansionhouse & Garden 1233 771 60% National Museum of Flight 7454 6715 11% Holmwood 519 566 -8% National Museum of Rural Life 9215 8938 3% House for an Art Lover 1084 1166 -7% National Museum of Scotland 134096 131379 2% House Of Dun 832 930 -11% 57314 55240 4% Hugh Miller Museum & Birthplace Cottage 596 476 25% The Nelson Monument 2961 3128 -5% Huntingtower Castle 737 739 0% Nevis Range 14101 15393 -8% Huntly Castle 1038 1041 0% New Abbey Corn Mill 572 467 22% Inchcolm Abbey 2406 2662 -10% Visitor Centre 10274 8026 28% 5

May May 2015 2014 Y-o-Y 2015 2014 Y-o-Y New Lanark World Heritage Site 35740 29784 20% Stanley Mills 847 910 -7% Newark Castle 916 664 38% Stirling Castle 46866 44409 6% Newhailes 904 856 6% Strathclyde Country Park 522064 589135 -11% Oban Distillery Visitor Centre 6860 5374 28% Strathisla Distillery 2532 1762 44% Palacerigg Country Park 70856 89153 -21% Summerlee Museum 18585 14230 31% The People's Story 6332 6503 -3% Sweetheart Abbey 775 675 15% Pitmedden Garden 2516 2341 7% Talisker Distillery Visitor Centre 8664 7355 18% Pollok House 5466 11385 -52% Tantallon Castle 4150 4209 -1% Preston Mill 465 208 124% Tenement House 1978 1513 31% Priorwood Garden 884 629 41% The 14816 15420 -4% Provand's Lordship 10168 10424 -2% The Falkirk Wheel 63071 53442 18% 103545 114567 -10% The Famous Grouse Experience 8409 8051 4% Robert Burns Birthplace Museum 32409 24065 35% The Hill House 4952 2948 68% Robert Burns Centre 3097 3410 -9% The lighthouse 22426 17485 28% Robert Burns House 1540 1271 21% The Museum of the University of St Andrews 2662 3019 -12% Robert Smail's Printing Works 317 283 12% The People's Palace Museum 28139 30215 -7% Rosslyn Chapel 18581 18114 3% The Real Mary King's Close 19607 19438 1% Rothesay Castle 987 1074 -8% The Royal Yacht Britannia 35285 32550 8% Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 101724 75916 34% The Scotch Whisky Experience 30448 30260 1% Royal Burgh of Culross 1552 1168 33% The Scottish Parliament 28329 29819 -5% Royal Lochnagar Distillery Visitor Centre 2288 1807 27% The St Mungo Museum of Religious Life And Art 15798 17005 -7% Scotland Street School Museum 5697 5062 13% The Willow Tea Rooms 14144 13234 7% ScotlandsPeople Centre 1365 1548 -12% Threave Castle 1040 1617 -36% Scotland's Secret Bunker 3278 2860 15% Threave Estate 14704 4382 236% The Scott Monument 8294 7036 18% Tolquhon Castle 496 625 -21% Scottish Crannog Centre 2315 2045 13% Tomatin Distillery Visitor Centre 4130 2845 45% Scottish Dolphin Centre 10493 11153 -6% Tormiston Mill 3266 3347 -2% Scottish Fisheries Museum 11642 8890 31% Tullibardine 1076 1377 -22% Scottish National Gallery 115640 111210 4% Urquhart Castle 39440 36515 8% Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art 33836 27650 22% 1220 1023 19% Scottish National Portrait Gallery 22853 22238 3% Weaver's Cottage 238 197 21% Seton Collegiate 284 260 9% Writers Museum 4121 5114 -19% Skara Brae 12124 10558 15% Smailholm Tower 640 557 15% Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum 2971 3755 -21% Souter Johnnie's Cottage 207 257 -19% Spynie Palace 1189 1142 4% St Andrews Castle 6906 6253 10% St Andrews Cathedral 4317 4045 7% St Giles' Cathedral 120046 102674 17% St Serfs 436 479 -9% St Vigeans 9 15 -40%