Glasgow based events company itison is investing £4m to bring its flagship winter events GlasGLOW and Elfingrove back to the city.
Combined, the investment should create 300 jobs and contribute an estimated £14m to the local economy.
Now coming into its fifth year, GlasGLOW, which takes place in the city’s Botanic Gardens, bolsters the local area with an estimated £6m economic impact driving tens of thousands of visitors - 62% from the local area - into the surrounding bars, restaurants, shops and hotels.
An idea first conceived in 2010, it took until 2018 to fund and bring the show to life - it is now the biggest sound and light show in Scotland, and the largest Halloween event in the UK, creating 150 positions across creative and production - and engaging with more than 100 predominantly Scottish suppliers.
Meanwhile Elfingrove, founded originally in 2019, returned in 2021 to Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum with Scotland’s biggest bespoke ice rink, commissioned by iSkate - the company behind SKATE at Somerset House and Dancing on Ice - attracting more than 100,000 people.
Itison chief executive, and founder of GlasGLOW, Oli Norman said: “Over the past two years, the event sector has been decimated by Covid - now we’re facing soaring supply chain costs, the cost-of-living crisis and the steepest energy hikes we’ve seen in our lifetime.
“We firmly believe though that people need things to look forward to – the darker nights, cold weather and uncertain economic and political climate have a heavy impact on our emotional and mental well-being.
“The theme for this year’s GlasGLOW is still under wraps - the idea came to me when I was on the Isle of Skye with family which might give a clue away - but I’m excited to bring both events back more spectacular than ever before.”
Show details are due to drop next week.
The itison Pumpkin Fund, created in 2019, will also return for 2022 – donating 1,000 free tickets to good causes around the city.
A £10,000 sum has also been pledged to help with improvements to the Children’s Garden within the Botanics, dating back to 2019.
Based in Glasgow, itison was founded in 2010, focusing on the premium deals space, but since becoming one of Scotland’s biggest event producers, with 80 staff.
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