Tourism statisticsState2026

Scotland Tourism Statistics: 15.2M Visitors in 2024

Q: How many tourists visit Scotland?

Scotland had 15,191,000 overnight visitors in 2024, according to VisitScotland. AirROI estimates 682,369 Airbnb stays in Scotland in the 12 months to October 2026, which is a separate count of bookings.

Q: What is the quietest month in Scotland?

January was the quietest Airbnb month in Scotland in the 12 months to October 2026, ranking 12th of 12, and February ranked 11th. Stays in January were booked about 45 days ahead, against 103 days for August.

Q: How long is a typical Airbnb stay in Scotland?

A typical Airbnb stay in Scotland lasted 4.5 nights in the 12 months to October 2026, booked about 73 days ahead. By month, stays ran from 3.8 nights in September to 5.3 nights in January.

Scotland recorded 15,191,000 overnight visitors in 2024, VisitScotland reports. AirROI estimates 682,369 Airbnb stays in Scotland in the 12 months to October 2026, with Edinburgh the most booked town. The busiest month was August.

Source: AirROI Reviewed by Jun Zhou, Founder @ AirROI Updated November 4, 2026

Airbnb figures are AirROI estimates for the 12 months to October 2026. Read the method

Estimated Airbnb nights: 3,043,942
Typical Airbnb stay: 4.5 nights
Busiest Airbnb month: August
From abroad, among guests who left a review: 58%

Key facts

Scotland Tourism Facts

Each sentence names its place, period and source, so it can be quoted alone.

Official

VisitScotland puts Scotland at 15,191,000 overnight visitors in 2024.

Airbnb stays

AirROI puts Airbnb stays in Scotland at 682,369 in the 12 months to October 2026.
AirROI estimates Airbnb stays in Scotland added up to 3,043,942 nights in the 12 months to October 2026.
AirROI estimates a typical Airbnb stay in Scotland lasted 4.5 nights in the 12 months to October 2026, booked about 73 days ahead.

Busiest months

AirROI ranks August the busiest Airbnb month in Scotland in the 12 months to October 2026, followed by September and July, with January the quietest.
AirROI estimates the six busiest Airbnb months in Scotland ran unbroken from May to October in the 12 months to October 2026.
AirROI estimates Airbnb stays in Scotland in August were booked furthest ahead, about 103 days, against 45 days for January, in the 12 months to October 2026.

Guests

AirROI estimates 58% of Scotland Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026 came from abroad, led by the United States at 18% and France at 7%.
Among Scotland Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026, London was the top origin city at 3.9%, ahead of Edinburgh at 2.2%, AirROI estimates.

By place

AirROI estimates Edinburgh had the most Airbnb stays of the 25 towns it lists in Scotland in the 12 months to October 2026, at 208,109, ahead of Glasgow and Inverness.

Official numbers

How Many Tourists Visit Scotland?

VisitScotland counted 15,191,000 overnight visitors in 2024.

Official tourism figures for Scotland: what each counts, its year and its publisher
Figure	What it counts	Year	Publisher
15,191,000Overnight visitors	Domestic and international overnight tourism visits to Scotland	2024	VisitScotland

Airbnb stays

Airbnb Stays in Scotland

Scotland had 20,692 Airbnb homes in the 12 months to October 2026. They took an estimated 682,369 stays and 3,043,942 nights. A typical stay lasted 4.5 nights and was booked about 73 days ahead. AirROI's figures cover the 228 towns it tracks in Scotland; places it does not track are not counted, so every total is a floor.

Airbnb homes: 20,692
Airbnb stays, estimate: 682,369
Airbnb nights, estimate: 3,043,942
Typical stay: 4.5 nights
Booked ahead: 73 days

Busiest months

When Is the Busiest Time in Scotland?

On Airbnb, August was the busiest month in Scotland in the 12 months to October 2026, then September and July. January was the quietest. The six busiest months run unbroken from May to October.

August ranks first, January last

Airbnb months in calendar order, 12 months to October 2026. The number is the month's rank, and 1 is the busiest. The bar shows its part of Airbnb nights.

Three busiest months
Other months

From busiest to quietest: August, September, July, May, June, October, April, December, November, March, February, January.

Month by month: rank, typical stay and days booked ahead

Airbnb months in Scotland by rank, with share of nights, typical stay and days booked ahead, 12 months to October 2026
Rank	Month	Share of nights	Typical stay	Booked ahead
1	August	11.2%	4.1 nights	103 days
2	September	10.4%	3.8 nights	81 days
3	July	10.3%	4.5 nights	95 days
4	May	9.9%	4.0 nights	86 days
5	June	9.7%	4.2 nights	81 days
6	October	9.0%	3.9 nights	65 days
7	April	8.0%	4.2 nights	67 days
8	December	7.1%	4.2 nights	63 days
9	November	7.0%	4.2 nights	54 days
10	March	6.5%	4.4 nights	52 days
11	February	5.7%	4.6 nights	48 days
12	January	5.2%	5.3 nights	45 days

Share is each month's part of the year's Airbnb nights. Typical stay and days booked ahead are AirROI estimates for stays in each month.

Where guests come from

Where Do Scotland Airbnb Guests Come From?

Among Scotland Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026, 58% came from abroad, led by the United States at 18% and France at 7%, AirROI estimates. Among the same guests, London was the top origin city at 3.9%, ahead of Edinburgh at 2.2%. The figures rest on 2,175,449 reviews, written over many years.

58% from abroad

Among guests who left a review, as of October 2026

Top countries abroad

Among guests who left a review

United States 18%
France 7%
Germany 5.1%
Canada 4%

Top origin cities

Among guests who left a review

London 3.9%
Edinburgh 2.2%
Glasgow 1.9%

By town

Most Booked Towns in Scotland

Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness took 42% of Airbnb stays in Scotland in the 12 months to October 2026. August is the busiest Airbnb month in 21 of the 25 towns, led by Edinburgh, and September in 3, led by Glasgow. Among guests who left a review, the share from abroad across these towns runs from 9.4% in Dumfries and Galloway to 88% in Portree.

Most Booked Towns in Scotland: Airbnb stays, nights and typical stay, 12 months to October 2026; with origin among guests who left a review
#
1	Edinburgh	208,109	958,122	4.6 nights	72%	US	August
2	Glasgow	50,152	239,419	4.8 nights	50%	US	September
3	Inverness	30,550	122,517	4.0 nights	73%	US	August
4	Highland	26,621	105,987	4.0 nights	64%	US	August
5	Aberdeen	13,414	68,847	5.1 nights	44%	US	August
6	Stirling	10,453	40,856	3.9 nights	52%	US	August
7	St Andrews	9,949	41,379	4.2 nights	57%	US	September
8	Oban	9,447	39,983	4.2 nights	58%	US	August
9	Fort William	9,273	34,887	3.8 nights	74%	US	August
10	Portree	8,900	37,041	4.2 nights	88%	US	August
11	Aviemore	7,700	32,046	4.2 nights	34%	US	August
12	Fife	7,281	32,097	4.4 nights	43%	US	August
13	Argyll and Bute	6,321	25,798	4.1 nights	46%	US	August
14	Dundee	5,923	30,861	5.2 nights	35%	US	September
15	Perth and Kinross	5,609	22,396	4.0 nights	31%	US	August
16	Scottish Borders	4,880	19,024	3.9 nights	16%	US	August
17	Dumfries and Galloway	3,777	15,207	4.0 nights	9.4%	US	August
18	Perth	3,439	14,644	4.3 nights	40%	US	August
19	Fort Augustus	3,408	13,337	3.9 nights	67%	US	August
20	Aberdeenshire	3,219	15,982	5.0 nights	31%	US	August
21	Kirkwall	3,038	17,799	5.9 nights	43%	US	August
22	Lerwick	2,882	15,989	5.5 nights	37%	US	June
23	Elie and Earlsferry	2,723	12,870	4.7 nights	11%	US	August
24	North Berwick	2,648	12,130	4.6 nights	25%	US	August
25	Ayr	2,645	10,917	4.1 nights	29%	US	August

* Among guests who left a review. Stays, nights and other figures are AirROI estimates for the 12 months to October 2026, and cover Airbnb only. UK is the top origin in 24 of 25 towns, among guests who left a review, so this column names the top country abroad. Lists the 25 of Scotland's 228 towns with 100 or more Airbnb homes. A town with no tourism page of its own links to its Airbnb market page.

FAQ

Questions About Tourism in Scotland

How many tourists visit Scotland?

Scotland had 15,191,000 overnight visitors in 2024, according to VisitScotland. AirROI estimates 682,369 Airbnb stays in Scotland in the 12 months to October 2026, which is a separate count of bookings.

When is high season in Scotland?

The busiest Airbnb month in Scotland in the 12 months to October 2026 was August, then September and July. The six busiest months run from May to October.

What is the quietest month in Scotland?

January was the quietest Airbnb month in Scotland in the 12 months to October 2026, ranking 12th of 12, and February ranked 11th. Stays in January were booked about 45 days ahead, against 103 days for August.

How long is a typical Airbnb stay in Scotland?

A typical Airbnb stay in Scotland lasted 4.5 nights in the 12 months to October 2026, booked about 73 days ahead. By month, stays ran from 3.8 nights in September to 5.3 nights in January.

Where do Airbnb guests in Scotland come from?

Of Scotland Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026, 58% came from abroad, AirROI estimates. The largest groups were the United States at 18% and France at 7%. Among the same guests, the top origin city was London at 3.9%, ahead of Edinburgh at 2.2%.

What is the most booked town in Scotland on Airbnb?

Edinburgh was the most booked town in Scotland on Airbnb, with an estimated 208,109 stays in the 12 months to October 2026, ahead of Glasgow and Inverness.

Are Airbnb stays the same as tourists?

No. VisitScotland counts overnight visitors (15,191,000 in 2024). An Airbnb stay is one booking on one platform, however many guests it holds. AirROI's 682,369 stays are estimates for the 12 months to October 2026.

Method

How These Numbers Are Made

Official figures come from their publishers, linked above, and were last checked in November 2026. Stays and nights are AirROI estimates for the 12 months to October 2026, built from Airbnb listing data, and cover Airbnb only. Nights add up each town's stays times its typical stay, across 228 towns. Month ranks compare each month's part of Airbnb nights. Origin rests on 2,175,449 reviews and describes guests who left a review, not everyone who stayed. Read the method page.