Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, has encouraged constituents to take a visit to Edinburgh Castle and other historic sites across the city after paying a visit to the castle on Friday.
Last year 2.2 million visitors entered the castle’s gates. However, as with many of the city’s other tourist attractions, the castle has experienced a significant drop in footfall thanks to COVID-19 restrictions and the drastic drop in international tourists.
To encourage more Scots to enjoy the attraction that is on their doorstep, admission to the castle is currently discounted.
Following his visit, Mr Balfour said:
“While it has been frustrating that we have been unable to travel as much this year and as much as I sincerely hope for our travel and tourism industry that that changes soon, I have grown in appreciation for the city that I call home.
“When you live in a place that is full of history, you can often forget how fascinating the stories and the buildings are, but I encourage everyone to take this as an opportunity to become a tourist in their own city and delve into the history that Edinburgh has to offer.
“The castle is a great place to visit for any age; with things that will interest the whole family, and it is currently open to visitors at a discounted price – I highly recommend a visit.”