Residents have embraced Edinburgh attractions with local discounts.
The Forever Edinburgh Resident Rewards programme, run by The City of Edinburgh Council, has been declared a success, allowing locals to experience the best of what Edinburgh has to offer at exclusive discounted rates.
Last year, more than 5,400 Edinburgh residents took up the scheme which involved more than 50 local businesses offering deals on leisure activities, hospitality experiences, visitor attractions, tours, and festive events.
The programme became more popular in 2023, with a 195% increase in bookings for the monthly “Star Reward” and an 88% rise in the number of residents benefiting from the deals compared to the previous year. Collectively, people in Edinburgh saved £66,114 through the discount scheme.
Highlights of the past year included more than 700 local children obtaining free admission to Camera Obscura and World of Illusions in March 2023, while more than 850 residents explored the Johnnie Walker Princes Street Experience at a 40% discounted rate during their dedicated month.
Launched in December 2021, the Resident Rewards Edinburgh programme aims to reconnect locals with the city’s best leisure, food and drink, and cultural experiences.
Last year, Forever Edinburgh improved the programme by introducing several new offers, including resident previews, half-price and free days, annual passes, and resident rates.
The Resident Rewards website has been viewed nearly half a million times since it was set up, and has generated around 35,000 business leads. For leisure and hospitality businesses, taking part is free.
Cllr Cammy Day, leader of the City of Edinburgh Council said: “It has been a fantastic year for Resident Rewards, with new businesses and brand-new attractions signing up to give back to Edinburgh residents. It’s wonderful to see so many people taking advantage of these exclusive rewards and exploring their own city for less. Whether you live locally or visit from halfway across the world, there is so much more to Edinburgh than many of us find time to discover. These rewards provide the perfect chance to try something new while supporting the local economy and I’d encourage other local businesses to get involved.”
Claire Riddoch, Marketing Manager, Camera Obscura & World of Illusions said: “Taking part in the Residents Reward was a great success for Camera Obscura & World of Illusions. We are always looking at ways we can work with our local partners and audiences to give back something in return for their loyal support, especially after the last few hard years of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We were delighted to welcome just under 700 local children free during March 2023, which contributed to a 56% overall rise in children visiting compared to March 2022 and 33% of our total visitors were from Edinburgh and Lothians, up 16% on 2022.”
Resident Rewards is being fully funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and funding has been secured until March 2025.
In April, residents can enjoy a 25% discount at the Escape Room in the Department of Magic through the Monthly Star reward. Then, in May they can take advantage of an exclusive 30% discount on tours at the new Port of Leith Distillery, Scotland’s first vertical whisky distillery located in Leith.
To unlock exclusive discounts and rewards as an Edinburgh resident, go to https://edinburgh.org/residentrewards/
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
