Record-breaking summer for The Real Mary King’s Close

We are delighted to announce that we are celebrating our best summer season ever, welcoming over 93,000 guests from around the globe.

We are thrilled to share that guests have visited our attraction from as far afield as Aruba, Trinidad and Tobago, and Tuvalu in the same year that we celebrated being named the UK’s Best Visitor Attraction by TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards. This recognition was the highlight of a clean sweep of Travellers’ Choice Awards for Continuum Attractions, our operator. June, July, and August were particularly vibrant for Edinburgh, featuring Taylor Swift’s series of concerts, the Fringe, and the Edinburgh International Festival. Despite the city’s packed calendar, our strong reputation for dynamic storytelling helped us stand out, offering a unique glimpse into Edinburgh’s hidden history.

Over the course of the summer, we ran an impressive 4,792 guided tours, operating daily between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. We are proud to celebrate a 4% increase in visitor numbers compared to 2023, which was previously a record year for us.

Paul Nixon, our general manager and chair of the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions (ASVA), remarked: “This summer has been phenomenal for us, and we are thrilled to have played a key part in Edinburgh’s tourism sector. The record number of visitors and glowing reviews are a testament to the rich history we share and the passion of our team.”

From June to August, we welcomed guests from 127 different countries, ranging from popular inbound markets such as the United States, France, and Germany, to visitors from more distant places like Aruba, Trinidad and Tobago, and even Tuvalu. This truly underscores our global appeal and reputation as a must-visit destination.

Alongside the record number of visitors, we also received an unprecedented number of online reviews, with 93% of them rating their experience four stars or higher.

Katie Scott, our operations manager, emphasised the importance of our team in achieving these milestones. She said: “Our success is a direct result of our passionate Storytellers and team, who bring Edinburgh’s history to life for our guests. We are proud to have a strong, engaged team working in such a supportive environment. This summer, we maintained an impressive employee retention rate of 91%, which speaks volumes about our team’s dedication and well-being.”

Since opening to the public in 2003, we have welcomed over 3.2 million guests. Our commitment to preservation and sustainability has been pivotal in showcasing the city’s hidden history for over 21 years.