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| Visits to historic sites increase | Visits to historic sites increase |
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| New figures have revealed an increase in visitor numbers to Scotland's historic sites over the summer. | New figures have revealed an increase in visitor numbers to Scotland's historic sites over the summer. |
| Edinburgh Castle was Historic Scotland's most popular site with more than 580,000 visits in the four months to the end of August, a 7% annual rise. | Edinburgh Castle was Historic Scotland's most popular site with more than 580,000 visits in the four months to the end of August, a 7% annual rise. |
| Stirling Castle was the second most popular of Historic Scotland's sites - attracting more than 228,000 people over the same four months. | Stirling Castle was the second most popular of Historic Scotland's sites - attracting more than 228,000 people over the same four months. |
| The top 10 also included Skara Brae, Iona Abbey and Fort William. | |
| All saw a rise in visitors over the year before. Historic Scotland has credited the increase to the Year of Homecoming and the fact that the weak pound made Scotland an attractive holiday destination for Europeans. | |
| Kari Coghill of Historic Scotland said: "Our attractions enjoyed a good summer right across the country. | Kari Coghill of Historic Scotland said: "Our attractions enjoyed a good summer right across the country. |
| "The 2009 Year of Homecoming campaign was clearly a major help as it brought the whole of our tourism industry together to focus on the common goal of attracting visitors by promoting all that's best about Scotland. | "The 2009 Year of Homecoming campaign was clearly a major help as it brought the whole of our tourism industry together to focus on the common goal of attracting visitors by promoting all that's best about Scotland. |
| "At the same time we obviously benefited from the fact that a weak pound made Scotland an attractive destination for Europeans. | "At the same time we obviously benefited from the fact that a weak pound made Scotland an attractive destination for Europeans. |
| "But we have also been doing a huge amount to market all that Historic Scotland has to offer, and the good value it provides, and that has seen our membership numbers pass 100,000 for the first time." | "But we have also been doing a huge amount to market all that Historic Scotland has to offer, and the good value it provides, and that has seen our membership numbers pass 100,000 for the first time." |
| Attraction 2009 2008 Difference Edinburgh Castle 582,420 542,690 39,730 Stirling Castle 228,679 217,288 11,391 Urquhart Castle 185,122 172,004 13,118 Glasgow Cathedral 98,810 83,359 15,451 Skara Brae 55,782 51,340 4,442 Iona Abbey 42,996 40,012 2,984 Fort George 40,315 37,319 2,996 Linlithgow Palace 39,480 24,110 15,370 St Andrews Castle 33,531 31,813 1,718 Melrose Abbey 30,711 26,426 4,285 Top 10 total 1,337,846 1,226,361 111,485 | Attraction 2009 2008 Difference Edinburgh Castle 582,420 542,690 39,730 Stirling Castle 228,679 217,288 11,391 Urquhart Castle 185,122 172,004 13,118 Glasgow Cathedral 98,810 83,359 15,451 Skara Brae 55,782 51,340 4,442 Iona Abbey 42,996 40,012 2,984 Fort George 40,315 37,319 2,996 Linlithgow Palace 39,480 24,110 15,370 St Andrews Castle 33,531 31,813 1,718 Melrose Abbey 30,711 26,426 4,285 Top 10 total 1,337,846 1,226,361 111,485 |