Edinburgh Festivals could get a Tartan Army boost

The Edinburgh Festivals produce a spectacle every year comparable with the World Cup, it’s been claimed – and could get a boost thanks to the Tartan Army.

A report reveals that the 11 fest­ivals drew 4 million attendances from more than 100 countries last year, making them one of the largest ticketed event programmes in the world.

Attendances are “on a scale equivalent with less frequent major events such as the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup”.

The record attendance for a full FIFA World Cup was 3.6 million set in the US in 1994, although the current expanded tournament will set a new high.

Like the football tournament, the fest­ivals, which include the Fringe, Inter­na­tional Book Fest­ival, Film Festival and Edin­burgh Sci­ence Fest­ival, also provide “a platform for Scotland on the world stage”, with participants from over 80 countries.

Lori Anderson, Director of Festivals Edinburgh, said: “If you take the accumulation of the Festivals as a single event, what Edinburgh does each year is surpassed only by the Olympic Games.

“Both the Olympics and FIFA World Cup are sporting events so we really are on a global level when it comes to cultural events.

“Moreover, hosting a World Cup or an Olympic Games is often seen as once in a lifetime for a city, whereas we are doing this every single year.

“It’s an absolute phenomenon what happens in Edinburgh each year in terms of the scale and the audience that it brings. The Festivals bring the city to life.”

The report confirms the Festivals as “one of the most remarkable demonstrations of cultural power in the world” operating at a scale “rarely seen in global cultural events”.

Last year, the 11 fest­ivals delivered an estim­ated £558 mil­lion in net eco­nomic impact for the city and £852 million across Scot­land.

They are expec­ted to boost the coun­try’s eco­nomy by up to £4.26 bil­lion over the next five years.

Anderson said the Festivals could even receive a boost in visitors thanks to the behaviour of the Tartan Army at the World Cup, attracting visitors from across the globe.

She said: “One of the things that’s been noted through the World Cup and particularly around the Scotland fans is their enthusiasm and warmth and you see that in Edinburgh with its welcoming spirit.

“We are anticipating increased numbers of international visitors coming to the Festivals, possibly sparked by people seeing what Scottish people are like at the World Cup.

“There’s definitely parallels there and we are anticipating that it may have an impact on people coming over and getting to experience that welcome here.”

Vicki Miller, Chief Executive of VisitScotland, said: “Edinburgh’s festivals are world renowned, and a key part of what makes Scotland a must-visit destination, drawing thousands of international visitors to the country each year.”