Skip to content

Banksy exhibition helps fuel tourism surge for Glasgow

PA Media A gallery steward examines the girl with a heart balloon artwork at the Banksy Cut & Run exhibition in GlasgowPA Media
More than 180,000 people visited the Gallery of Modern Art to see the Banksy Cut & Run exhibition

An exhibition by the artist Banksy along with the cycling world championships helped boost tourism in Glasgow during 2023.

New data revealed spending in the city last year almost doubled from 2022, as did the number of overnight visitors.

Banksy's Cut & Run show at the Gallery of Modern Art - his first solo exhibition in 14 years - welcomed more than 180,000 people, while over 500,000 attended the UCI Cycling World Championships.

Susan Deighan, chief executive of the city's cultural body Glasgow Life, said the figures "highlight the importance" of hosting major events.

Reuters Dozens of cyclists going up Montrose Street during the men's elite road race at the UCI Cycling World Championships. The pavements are packed with people cheering them on, waving flagsReuters
The men's elite road race was one of the many events that formed part of the UCI Cycling World Championships

Scottish Tourism Economic Impact Model (STEAM) figures revealed that visitors spent £2.35bn in Glasgow in 2023 - a 48.6% jump from 2022.

A total of 3.91 million people visitors stayed in Glasgow overnight, an increase of 47.3% from 2.65 million, while day visitors improved from 17.69 million in 2022 to 21.8 million.

The total number of people visiting Glasgow increased by 26.6%, to a total of 25.75 million.

And 37,117 local full-time jobs were supported by tourism, according to the STEAM data.

PA Media The Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow, with a banner advertising the Banksy exhibition held there PA Media
Commerce groups have called for further investment to ensure the city attracts further events

VisitScotland’s regional director for Glasgow, Lynne Cooper, said the figures were "very positive", and indicated that a large amount of overseas tourists were now spending longer in the city.

The city also hosted more than 360 meetings and conferences, with about 120,000 delegates attending.

Ms Deighan said: "Glasgow continues to grow as a successful and popular tourism destination.

"These figures also highlight the importance of hosting major events and attracting unique exhibitions to the city.

"Visitor numbers and spending were boosted significantly by the hugely successful UCI Cycling World Championships and the unforgettable Banksy Cut & Run show at the Gallery of Modern Art. The data also emphasises the vital role tourism plays in Glasgow’s economy and how it benefits Glaswegians."

Stuart Patrick, CEO of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce said the data showed further investment in the city was needed to ensure it could "offer a world-class visitor experience".