International visitor numbers, satisfaction and community benefits reach new highs
Edinburgh’s Winter Festival – encompassing Edinburgh’s Christmas and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay – has delivered its strongest performance to date, generating a record £241 million economic impact for the city and confirming Edinburgh’s position as one of Europe’s leading winter destinations with a record of 93 countries represented across its audiences.
The latest results, drawn from the most recent post‑event impact report, show sustained growth across visitor numbers, spending, satisfaction, community engagement and international profile, demonstrating strong recovery and growth.
Record economic impact and exceptional return on public investment
The combined Winter Festival generated £241m+ for Edinburgh’s economy in 2025/26, up from £198m just two years ago, representing growth of more than 20% across the three‑year period. The return on public investment has also increased significantly, with the festivals now delivering £297 back to the city for every £1 invested by the City of Edinburgh Council.
This growth reflects longer visitor stays, higher average spend and exceptional accommodation demand. Hotel occupancy peaked at 95.8% on New Year’s Eve, one of the highest figures ever recorded for the city, while average visitor spend and length of stay rose sharply across both Christmas and Hogmanay.
Millions of visits and a huge Hogmanay audience
Edinburgh’s Christmas welcomed over 2.9 million visits across its city‑centre sites this winter, maintaining near‑record footfall following the 3 million peak recorded in 2023/24. The event continued to attract a broad mix of local, UK and international visitors, with the majority travelling from outside the city and engaging extensively with Edinburgh’s wider retail, hospitality and cultural offer, proving its essential role in sustaining the sector.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay returned at full scale, welcoming over 115,000 people across its four‑day programme, a 15% increase from 2023/24. Major events sold out, including the world-famous Street Party, Torchlight Procession and Night Afore Concert in the Gardens, with a further estimated 100,000 people experiencing the Midnight Moment across the city centre.
The Hogmanay festival presented over 560 artists and performers, 97% of whom were local and Scottish, supporting Scotland’s cultural community. It also welcomed a record number of international visitors, with 33% of visitors from outwith the UK (3% increase) and 26% from UK outwith Scotland.
Together, the figures underline the festivals’ critical role in driving winter tourism, ensuring Edinburgh remains a festival city and supporting year‑round economic resilience for the capital.
Exceptional visitor satisfaction, advocacy and pride
Visitor feedback from the most recent season also shows exceptionally high satisfaction and advocacy:
- 95% of Edinburgh’s Christmas visitors reported being satisfied or extremely satisfied with their experience.
- Over 80% said they would recommend the festival and attend again, rising to 100% among international visitors surveyed.
- For Hogmanay, nearly 90% of attendees said the event made them feel proud to be part of Scotland’s celebrations, with three‑quarters likely to recommend it to others.
Across both projects, audiences consistently described the events as a defining part of Edinburgh’s winter identity, with nine in ten visitors saying their experience makes them more likely to return to the city during the winter season.
Growing community access and charitable impact
Alongside its economic success, the Winter Festivals continue to expand their community and social impact.
This year, more than 8,500 free tickets and ride passes were distributed to over 160 local charities and community groups, ensuring wide access for families and residents across the city. Over 27,500 people attended the free events at the Ross Bandstand across successive weekends. Local resident ticket offers once again sold out, showing the strong local engagement.
Charitable giving reached a new high, with almost £49,000 raised for partner charities Age Scotland, When You Wish Upon A Star, Simon Community Scotland and One City Trust across Christmas and Hogmanay. Long‑standing partnerships tackling homelessness, supporting children’s charities and local causes remain central to the festivals.
The programme also continued to prioritise local participation, with around three‑quarters of Christmas market traders Scottish‑based, many of them from Edinburgh, and extensive opportunities for local artists, performers and suppliers.
Global reach and international profile
Edinburgh’s Winter Festivals also achieved unprecedented global exposure this year. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay generated more than 2,000 pieces of national and international media coverage, with a potential global opportunity of over 8 billion media interactions across the world, with more than 80% of coverage positive in sentiment.
Major international broadcasters and outlets once again carried images of Edinburgh around the world, reinforcing the city’s reputation as the Home of Hogmanay and one of the world’s most recognisable New Year destinations. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Auld Lang Syne was CNN’s top global story through the night, with leading audiences in Australia, Germany, Canada, USA and UK.
Edinburgh’s Winter Festival has demonstrated clear and consistent momentum:
- Economic impact has increased year‑on‑year.
- Visitor numbers have rebounded strongly and now exceed pre‑pandemic levels.
- Satisfaction, pride and advocacy measures have strengthened.
- Community access and charitable contributions have expanded significantly.
This year’s results confirm the festivals not only as a major economic driver, but as a source of civic pride, cultural participation and social benefit for Edinburgh and its communities.
The Directors of Unique Assembly said: “These results underline just how important Edinburgh’s Winter Festival has become – not only to the city’s economy, but to its communities, cultural life and global reputation.
“Delivering £241 million in economic impact and some of the highest visitor satisfaction levels we’ve ever seen is something everyone involved can be incredibly proud of.
“It’s fantastic that people are staying longer, we are welcoming more people from around the world, we are giving local communities access to a range of free tickets and events, and we’ve seen a heartening uplift in charitable giving.
“This year shows that Edinburgh’s Christmas celebrations and Hogmanay festival are not just world‑class events, but a festival that is rooted in the city, supports local artists and businesses, and creates experiences people actively want to return for year after year.”
Council Leader Jane Meagher said: “It’s clear to see that both residents and visitors are continuing to embrace and enjoy the celebrations, which bring such a special atmosphere to Edinburgh each year.
“I’m proud that we’ve been able to deliver meaningful benefits for our communities through increased free tickets and ride passes, alongside record charitable donations that are helping support local causes across the city.
“Looking ahead to next year, we’re committed to building on this success and ensuring Edinburgh’s winter festival continues to deliver unforgettable experiences while creating lasting benefits for our residents, businesses and communities.”
