The Summer of 2023 is one to remember for Glasgow Life.

It may be that 2023 has been the best summer of culture and sport in Glasgow since the Commonwealth Games in 2014 or the European Championships in 2018, and just like both of those fantastic occasions, Glasgow Life has been at the heart of delivering it.

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This summer has underlined the significant role that Glasgow plays in Scotland’s success; attracting visitors for one-off cultural occasions, events and world-class sport, alongside our museums, galleries, concert venues and theatres that people come to Scotland every year to enjoy.

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They drive Glasgow’s success as a dynamic tourist destination, attracting the 2.65 million visitors who, in 2022, stayed in the city as part of a holiday or short break, and brought an associated spend of ￡953 million.

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Tourism supports over 28,000 full-time jobs in Glasgow.

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Glasgow’s success is a major contributor to people choosing Scotland for their break. They want to visit Glasgow because the city’s culture, entertainment, music, events, food and drink appeals to them.

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Visitors also choose Glasgow because of the welcome they know they will get. Globally, Glasgow is known as a friendly city where unique experiences are made better by the people they meet.

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At the same time they are planning a trip to Glasgow, they build a visit to Edinburgh or Dundee or the North Coast 500 into their schedule.

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It has been a brilliant summer for culture and sport in Glasgow, with team Glasgow alongside Glasgow Life helping make the city a vibrant and exciting place to visit and, at the same time, amplifying our international profile.

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Our best kept secret, the arrival of Banksy’s Cut&Run exhibition at Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art, created the kind of headlines for Scotland around the world that we hoped it would. It also generated ￡16.5 million for Scotland through visits and spend in Glasgow and there were over 300 articles in US media, one of the city’s key visitor markets.

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We’ve yet to see the final economic impact figures for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, but attracting a million spectators, half of whom were at events in Glasgow, gives me the confidence that economically and reputationally, Scotland has reaped enormous rewards.

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A global TV audience watched a combined total of 200 million hours of coverage of Scotland and Glasgow, increasing our visibility and awareness around the world. You can imagine the dramatic sight of some of the best cyclists tackling “Mount Montrose Street” sticking in the mind.

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In July, The Burrell Collection was named the UK’s Art Fund Museum of the Year. This is a huge accolade for Glasgow, reinforcing our reputation as a major cultural destination. The recognition of an exceptional reimagining of The Burrell Collection is a wonderful achievement for everyone involved especially because the judges particularly noted its inclusivity and accessibility.

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We are very optimistic that visitors to our museums will return to pre-pandemic levels this year. Our own research shows more than half of visits are from people outside the UK. Over 85% of visitors say visiting Glasgow Life Museums was a reason for coming to Scotland.

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I have every reason to believe that 2024 will be another brilliant year.

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Celtic Connections will be among the first festivals of the new year continuing to build the international reputation of Scotland and Glasgow as a UNESCO City of Music.

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Many of the world’s greatest competitors in athletics will be in Glasgow in March for the Indoor World Athletics Championships in the lead up to the 2024 Olympic Games.

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There is the city’s year-round programme of concerts, events and outdoor summer occasions like TRNSMT, Piping Live, Summer Nights at Kelvingrove Bandstand and the Glasgow Mela, which people are looking forward to even now.

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Glasgow Life’s annual events, on their own, attract hundreds of thousands of people each year.

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Visitors to Scotland have so much to choose from. In total 3.2 million visitors came to Scotland in 2022 and their reasons for visiting will vary. What we must do is recognise that we share audiences across the country. Visitors to the Banksy exhibition will also have headed to the V&A in Dundee or to Edinburgh Festivals performances.

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Later this month Glasgow will welcome the Host City conference where the international role of events will be highlighted and learnings shared. It comes just weeks after Glasgow was one of ten UK and Irish cities to work together to win the right to host Euro 2028.

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We need to advocate for the support and funding that ensures that our collective contribution to the attractiveness of Scotland as a destination is maintained, and we keep driving visits for all of our future happiness, health and wealth.