Manic in the glen: why the world has gone wild for Scotland this year

Celebrities, influencers and US top brass join an influx of international tartan-mad tourists

- Eve Livingston

With fairytale islands, white sand beaches, world-famous lakes and vibrant cities, it has been the holiday destination of choice for stars such as Margot Robbie, Serena Williams and David Beckham in recent months. US vice-president JD Vance arrived there last week for the next stage of his family vacation, on a sprawling estate in Ayrshire.

It may not offer a reliable tan, but Scotland has become the place to be this summer midges and all. The most recent figures on Scottish tourism are from 2023, when almost 4 million international visitors set a new record. And Jill Walker, director of marketing and digital at VisitScotland, says early 2024 figures surpassed this by almost half a million, with anecdotal reports from this summer suggesting no slowdown.

The number of landowners in Scotland who mostly reside outside the UK, including US buyers, is on the up, as a share of all landowners: from 5.8% in 2018 to 7% in 2024, according to the Registers of Scotland.