TOURISM experts have reported a surge in German visitors to Scotland following the Tartan Army’s trip to Euro 2024.
Around 200,000 fans travelled to Germany to see Steve Clarke’s team compete in the tournament.
While results didn’t quite go Scotland’s way on the pitch, the Tartan Army was well received in Germany, with the fans voted the best supporters at the competition.
Speaking to the BBC, Mohit Joshi from travel company Skyscanner said: “The number of Germans visiting Edinburgh has increased by 156% year on year.
“What’s fascinating is that the Scottish fans brought warmth, kindness and humour to Germany – qualities the locals truly admired.
“This curiosity has sparked a growing interest in Scotland, reflected in the rising search queries.”
VisitScotland anticipates that there will be a better picture of the Tartan Army’s impact next year although said searches in Germany for Scotland as a holiday destination surged by 57% during the tournament itself.
Also speaking to the BBC, owner of the HairyCoo bus tour company Andy Barton said he had noticed a rise in the number of German visitors.
“Last year, we welcomed around 3000 Germans on our tours. This year alone, that number has jumped to about 5000,” he told the broadcaster.
“If we can build on the momentum from Germany this summer, it would be fantastic for Scotland.”
One German woman, Martina Spiech from Cologne, fell in love with the Tartan Army so much that she said she got a tattoo of the lion and thistle on her calf.
She has joined the new Cologne Tartan Army fan group and said: “I truly fell in love with Scotland and wanted to show my affection in any way I can, even though I’ve never been there.”
