- Glasgow ranked 5th in the Global Destination Sustainability Index. The only non-Nordic city in the top 5
- 68% of the city’s hotel rooms achieved green accreditation
- £2.39 billion direct visitor expenditure in Glasgow, +1.9% on 2023
- 4.72 million total overnight visitors, +20.8% on 2023
- SEC welcomed 2.3 million visitors
- Glasgow Airport secures two new North American routes, eight new European city routes, and multiple new leisure routes
Glasgow is launching the next phase of its Tourism Action Plan for 2026-2028 on 22 April.
The new Plan is being launched following the announcement in October 2025 that Glasgow achieved its highest ever ranking in the Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Index, climbing seven places from the previous year. Glasgow is the only non-Nordic city to appear in the index top five and is one of only two UK cities in the top 20.
Glasgow’s success as a sustainable and inclusive tourist destination is a result of increasing collaboration with industry stakeholders and businesses. This has already led to notable successes, with third-party green accreditation across city businesses seeing a marked increase. The uptick has been particularly notable in the hotel sector, with 68% of city hotel rooms achieving accreditation, up from 41%.
Glasgow has been embracing a proactive approach to ensure the long-term success of the visitor economy which supports over 37,000 jobs, by taking the decision to introduce a visitor levy. This will bring vital investment; through new initiatives such as ‘Let’s Go Glasgow’ – the city centre business improvement district, the establishment of the independent Night-Time Economy Commission and the recruitment of a Night-Time Officer; as well as its ongoing emphasis on sustainable and regenerative tourism.
The 2026-2028 phase of the strategy places a greater focus on the importance of events and on Glasgow’s heritage, and the Tourism Action Plan is aligned with the Glasgow City Economic Strategy and industry priorities.
Kam Jandu, Chief Executive Officer, AGS Airports, said: “The recent significant expansion of our route network with 26 new routes and services—including two new North American services and considerable additional European and leisure connections—reflects growing global confidence in Glasgow. This enhanced connectivity means the world is now even closer to everything this city has to offer.
"Glasgow has emerged as the fastest growing airport in Scotland with nearly 1m extra seats on sale in 2026 aided by 4 new airlines launching Glasgow services and all but two of our existing airlines adding routes and capacity this year.
"This enhanced connectivity means the world is now even closer to everything this city has to offer."
Cllr Susan Aitken, Leader of GCC, said: “Glasgow is a world class tourist destination, and we are bringing together expertise from the Destination Glasgow team and industry partners to make sure that the rest of the world knows it. Destination Glasgow is working with 22 industry partners to ensure that our tourism strategy is built from those that have the best on-the-ground knowledge. When we say ‘People Make Glasgow’, that includes the businesses, hotels and event organisers that showcase the best this city has to offer.”
Dom McKay, CEO SEC + CHAIR, GLASGOW TOURISM ADVISORY FORUM said: “Glasgow has been growing its profit and position in recent years through the number and variety of major events it has been hosting. Glasgow is one of Europe’s major event cities, with the SEC hosting 52 conferences, 55 exhibitions and 269 live performances last year. As a UNESCO city of music, Glasgow is recognised as a world leader in music events, bringing with it not just investment that can be seen in jobs, but a culture that showcases the best of Glasgow to the world, as well as welcoming 2.3 million people to our campus.”
Lynne Cooper, VisitScotland Regional Director, said: “The success Glasgow is experiencing with its tourism strategy is a testament to the collaboration that the city has managed to foster. Through our ongoing work with the Visit Glasgow team at Destination Glasgow, the city is making a strong contribution towards our ambition to make Scotland a leading sustainable tourism and events destination.
We know from our insights an increasing number of visitor markets are prioritising sustainable travel and experiences. Recognition from the Global Destination Sustainability Index of Glasgow as the only non-Nordic city in the top five, highlights the effectiveness of working together towards our responsible tourism ambitions.”
Janice Fisher, Vice Chair, Greater Glasgow Hoteliers Association, said: “Glasgow’s hospitality sector is the beating heart of the visitor experience, and our hotels are proud to lead the way in ensuring that Glasgow is synonymous with sustainability. The surge in green accreditation for hotel rooms across the city, now at 68%, shows that our members are committed not just to welcoming guests, but doing so responsibly. Glasgow’s leading role as a conference destination is increasingly being coupled with its reputation as a leisure destination.”
You can read the full Glasgow 2030 Tourism Strategy and Glasgow Tourism Action Plan 2026-28