Tourism is a cornerstone of the Angus economy and one of the area’s strongest growth sectors.
In 2024, tourism contributed £326 million annually to the Angus economy and supported 4,029 full‑time equivalent jobs, reinforcing its importance as a major employer and driver of sustainable economic growth.
Angus welcomed 1.3 million visitors in 2024, strengthening its position as a high‑quality destination for day visitors, short breaks and extended stays.
Growth is underpinned by the region’s diverse offer – from coastline and countryside to towns, cultural assets and events – and increasing investment in experiences, accommodation and place‑based development.
Tourism growth directly supports:
Tourism performance in Angus is independently measured using the Scottish Tourism Economic Activity Model (STEAM).
Headline impacts:
Visitor mix:
Total visitor activity generated approximately 2.6 million visitor days and nights in Angus during 2024.
This profile highlights strong opportunities to:
Tourism in Scotland continues to perform strongly, creating a positive national backdrop for investment in Angus.
International visitors now account for over half of total tourism spend, despite making fewer overnight trips than domestic visitors.
This reinforces the opportunity for Angus businesses to:
Angus benefits from strong national brand alignment while retaining a distinct, less‑crowded market position.
Angus is strategically located within Scotland’s Tay region, offering strong accessibility and collaborative regional support.
Key advantages:
Tourism development in Angus aligns with the Tay Cities Region Tourism Strategy, supporting:
This regional approach strengthens Angus’ visibility to investors, developers and international markets.
Tourism development in Angus is structured around priority themes that reflect regional strengths and global demand trends:
These themes provide a clear framework for product development, supporting year‑round tourism growth.
Visit Angus is the destination marketing campaign for Angus, managed by the Invest in Angus team at Angus Council.
The Visit Angus campaign incorporates a consumer facing website, aimed at visitors to the region, alongside Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channels.
Various assets and toolkits are available to assist tourism businesses in supporting the Visit Angus campaign and marketing the region to visitors.
New and early‑stage tourism businesses in Angus are well supported.
Support includes:
Entrepreneurs are supported to:
Established tourism businesses are supported to scale, diversify and innovate.
Support includes:
Sector‑specific support includes:
A resilient workforce is central to tourism growth in Angus.
Support is delivered through:
Digital and innovation capability is supported through initiatives such as DigiTay, helping businesses adopt:
Tourism investment in Angus benefits from a clear and supportive planning framework.
Key guidance includes:
Additional regulatory considerations:
Early engagement with planning and licensing teams is encouraged to support timely delivery of tourism projects.
Angus businesses benefit from coordinated destination and travel trade support.
Support is available through:
Events of all sizes play an increasingly important role in the Angus visitor economy.
Events deliver:
Support is available through:
Sustainable tourism is both a competitive advantage and a long‑term growth opportunity.
Reducing environmental impact, adapting to climate change and embedding circular economy principles are increasingly central to investment decisions, visitor expectations and regulatory frameworks.
The transition towards low‑carbon, resource‑efficient and climate‑resilient operating models helps future‑proof the sector while strengthening destination quality.
Tourism and events businesses in Angus can access VisitScotland’s Climate Action Accelerator, a fully funded programme designed to support the sector’s transition to net zero by 2045.
Additional sustainability support is available through the VisitScotland Business Support Hub, providing guidance on:
Tourism businesses are encouraged to adopt circular economy principles, keeping materials in use for longer, reducing waste and lowering operational costs.
Zero Waste Scotland provides specialist support to help tourism and hospitality businesses:
Circular approaches are particularly relevant to:
Sustainable tourism is a core component of Angus’ approach to responsible growth, ensuring tourism continues to deliver economic, environmental and community benefits.
Key organisations supporting tourism in Angus:
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