Scottish Cities Alliance

Scotland’s cities are thriving. From record-breaking festivals to award-winning attractions, the summer of 2025 has showcased the cultural power and economic potential of our urban centres. Whether you are an investor, a visitor, or a resident, the message is clear: Scotland’s cities are places to live, work, play – and prosper.

Aberdeen: A Maritime Celebration with Global Reach

Aberdeen was recently trusted with hosting the Tall Ships Races 2025, welcoming nearly 400,000 visitors to its harbour. This figure is seriously impressive when you consider that Aberdeen City Council’s Population Needs Assessment, noted 160,000 international visitors in 2022, with a combined visitor expenditure of £134 million. With tall ships from across the globe all visiting the city, and live performances by Deacon Blue and the Kaiser Chiefs, alongside a spectacular Red Arrows flyover, the event was a celebration of maritime heritage and modern hospitality, whilst also facilitating cultural exchange amongst visitors far and wide.

Beyond the spectacle, the event demonstrated Aberdeen’s capacity to host large-scale international events, boosting local businesses and showcasing the city’s appeal as a destination for tourism and investment alike. We look forward to seeing further information and outputs from the event come to light.

Glasgow: A Festival of Community and Creativity

In Glasgow, the Merchant City Festival drew 40,000 people to the city centre for a weekend of music, dance, street theatre, and celebration. The festival, part of Glasgow’s 850th anniversary, featured everything from mass ceilidhs to circus performances.

The event highlighted Glasgow’s strength as a cultural capital, where creativity is not just entertainment, but a driver of community engagement and economic prosperity. This is reinforced by the UK Governments publishing of the Industrial Strategy, in which the Creative sector was noted as an area of high-growth potential, and prioritised for investment.

Stirling: Record Tourism and a Vision for the Future

Stirling has emerged as one of Scotland’s fastest-growing destinations, with 4.66 million visitors in 2024 and a £712 million economic impact. The city’s new summer tourism campaign, launched in July 2025, is designed to build on this momentum by promoting Stirling’s blend of heritage, outdoor adventure, and cultural innovation.

Named Scotland’s cultural capital and recognised by Lonely Planet as a top destination, Stirling is proving that strategic investment in culture and tourism pays dividends for local economies and communities alike. At the Alliances recent peer-to-peer learning event, we heard of the incredible collaborative efforts of both Stirling Council, and Go Forth Stirling, the recognised Business Improvement District within the city. You can read more on this event here.

Stirling Photography Festival: Framing Local Talent

Adding to Stirling’s cultural credentials is the Stirling Photography Festival 2025, which celebrates visual storytelling through exhibitions, workshops, and public art. The festival not only attracts visitors but also nurtures local talent and creative industries.

Edinburgh: A Capital of Global Culture

No summer in Scotland would be complete without Edinburgh, and 2025 has been no exception. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is due to launch at the start of August, with a staggering 3,350 shows across 265 venues, featuring performers from over 50 countries. With hundreds of free and pay-what-you-can events, the Fringe continues to be a beacon of artistic excellence.

Meanwhile, one of the city’s most beloved attractions, Camera Obscura and World of Illusions, was awarded a TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award after receiving over 11,000 five-star reviews. Located on the Royal Mile, the attraction blends history, science, and fun – offering panoramic views of the city and over 100 interactive exhibits. It’s a shining example of how Edinburgh’s cultural institutions deliver world-class experiences that keep visitors coming back.

Culture as Catalyst

These stories are more than highlights, they are proof that culture is a catalyst for economic growth, social cohesion, and international recognition. Scotland’s cities are not only cultural destinations; they are engines of innovation, creativity, and opportunity. We welcome the Industrial Strategies further recognition of this and look forward to harnessing this to maximise both the economic and social value that our industries can have.

At Scottish Cities Alliance, we champion the role of culture and tourism in shaping vibrant, inclusive, and economically resilient cities. Whether you’re looking to invest, collaborate, or explore, Scotland’s cities offer a compelling invitation: come and be part of something extraordinary.