Edinburgh's Winter Festival 2025/2026, which includes Edinburgh's Christmas and Edinburgh's Hogmanay, pulled in a record £241 million to the city in economic benefit, according to an impact report released by event organisers Unique Assembly.
The report added that this was a 20% increase over the £198m generated two years ago and points to a bounce back from the weather-induced debacle of Hogmanay 2024, when flagship events were cancelled out of safety concerns.
The report's authors said hotel occupancy peaked at 95.8% on New Year's Eve, one of the highest figures ever recorded for the city, while average visitor spend and length of stay rose sharply across both Christmas and Hogmanay.
A driver of the bounce-back was that Edinburgh's Hogmanay returned at full scale this past year, with over 115,000 people participating across its four‑day programme, a 15% increase from 2023/24.
Major events sold out, including the Street Party, Torchlight Procession and Night Afore Concert in the Gardens, with a further estimated 100,000 people experiencing the Midnight Moment across the city centre.
Meanwhile, Edinburgh's Christmas saw over 2.9 million visits across its city‑centre sites this winter, maintaining near‑record footfall following the 3 million peak recorded in 2023/24.
Season of giving
At the same time, the report said Edinburgh's Winter Festivals continued to have a significant community and social impact with more than 8,500 free tickets and ride passes reportedly distributed to over 160 local charities and community groups.
Over 27,500 people attended the free events at the Ross Bandstand across successive weekends. Local resident ticket offers once again sold out, showing the strong local engagement.
Charitable giving also reached a new high, with almost £49,000 raised for partner charities Age Scotland, When You Wish Upon A Star, Simon Community Scotland and One City Trust across Christmas and Hogmanay.
Local and global
The Winter Festival programme also continued to prioritise local participation, with around three‑quarters of Christmas market traders Scottish‑based, many of them from Edinburgh, and opportunities for local artists, performers and suppliers.
The report also quantified the festival's global reach saying that Edinburgh's Hogmanay generated more than 2,000 pieces of national and international media coverage, with a potential global opportunity of over 8 billion media interactions across the world, with more than 80% of coverage positive in sentiment.
Images of Edinburgh carried by major international broadcasters and outlets have also helped to reinforce the city's reputation as a New Year destination.
The Directors of Unique Assembly said: "These results underline just how important Edinburgh's Winter Festival has become - not only to the city's economy, but to its communities, cultural life and global reputation.
"Delivering £241 million in economic impact and some of the highest visitor satisfaction levels we've ever seen is something everyone involved can be incredibly proud of."
Council Leader Jane Meagher added: "It's clear to see that both residents and visitors are continuing to embrace and enjoy the celebrations, which bring such a special atmosphere to Edinburgh each year. I'm proud that we've been able to deliver meaningful benefits for our communities through increased free tickets and ride passes, alongside record charitable donations that are helping support local causes across the city."
"Looking ahead to next year, we're committed to building on this success and ensuring Edinburgh's winter festival continues to deliver unforgettable experiences while creating lasting benefits for our residents, businesses and communities."