9th November 2026
The economic impact of Glasgow's 2026 Commonwealth Games has provided an interesting reminder of what major events can contribute to the Scottish economy. An independent evaluation estimates that the 11-day sporting event generated £223 million in economic activity across Scotland, including £158.6 million for the Glasgow City Region.
But the lessons from Glasgow should not be confined to the country's largest city. There is a much wider opportunity for Scotland's towns, rural communities and island economies to benefit from sporting competitions, festivals, cultural celebrations and other events that bring people together.
For places such as Wick, Thurso and communities throughout Caithness and Sutherland, the potential deserves more attention.
What did Glasgow actually gain?
The independent evaluation of the Commonwealth Games, published in November 2026, provides some impressive figures.
The Games generated an estimated £223 million in gross economic output across Scotland, with £117.3 million in gross value added (GVA). The Glasgow City Region accounted for £158.6 million of the economic output.
The Games cost approximately £160 million to deliver, considerably less than the cost of some previous Commonwealth Games. Rather than constructing an entirely new sporting infrastructure, Glasgow made extensive use of existing venues, hotels and facilities.
Around 2,400 full-time equivalent years of employment were supported, while approximately one million people experienced the Games and associated public celebrations in person.
The international exposure was also considerable, with an estimated television audience of 510 million across 166 territories.
These figures demonstrate that sporting events can generate benefits extending well beyond ticket sales. Hotels, restaurants, transport operators, retailers, suppliers and temporary workers all have opportunities to benefit.
However, it is important to distinguish between gross economic output and additional wealth created. The £223 million is not simply money left in the pockets of businesses or added to government tax receipts. The £117.3 million GVA figure provides a more useful measure of the value added to the Scottish economy.
Glasgow's success does not mean every business benefited
There is an interesting qualification in the latest figures from Glasgow Chamber of Commerce.
International visits to Glasgow city centre increased by more than 204,000 between July and September compared with the same period in 2025. The final weekend of the Commonwealth Games brought almost a quarter of a million people into the city centre, the highest weekend footfall recorded that year.
However, visits from UK residents fell by approximately 438,000 over the same quarter. Overall city-centre footfall was down 2.4% so far in 2026.
This is an important reminder that a successful major event does not automatically solve the wider problems facing a town or city.
Some businesses will benefit considerably, particularly those involved in accommodation, hospitality and entertainment. Others may see much less benefit.
The challenge is to turn the temporary increase in visitors into longer-term economic activity.
Wick Gala demonstrates the value of smaller events
There is a particularly good example of this in Caithness.
Wick Gala takes place every year and, although it is a relatively small event compared with the Commonwealth Games, its importance to the local community and businesses should not be underestimated.
One noticeable feature is the return of family members who now live elsewhere. People come home to Wick, sometimes staying for a week, visiting relatives and taking part in the celebrations.
For that week, the population effectively increases.
The difference can be seen in several ways. Shops have more customers, restaurants and cafés become busier, and there is increased activity in other parts of the local economy. Accommodation providers may also benefit.
There is something else happening which is less easily measured. People who have moved away return to see family and friends, reconnect with the town and remind themselves of their roots.
That connection can be important in encouraging future visits and maintaining links with younger generations who may otherwise have little reason to return regularly.
Wick Gala is not simply an entertainment event. It is also a contribution to the local economy and the social life of the town.
It would be interesting to see a proper assessment of the additional spending generated during Gala week. Even a modest survey of local businesses, accommodation providers and visitors could provide useful information.
If the economic impact of a relatively small annual event can be demonstrated, it becomes easier to make the case for supporting similar activities elsewhere.
The Highlands already has examples of bigger economic returns
The idea of using events to generate economic activity is not new to the Highlands.
The Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival near Beauly is a good example. Its organisers reported that the 2025 festival generated an estimated £7.8 million in net economic impact for the Highlands.
The three-day festival attracts around 25,000 people and has developed into a significant annual event, bringing visitors from outside the region as well as providing opportunities for local suppliers and businesses.
Another example is the Royal National Mòd, which brought an estimated £3.9 million economic boost to Lochaber when it was held there in 2025.
More than 9,400 people attended the nine-day event, and an estimated 69 full-time equivalent jobs were created through its staging.
These examples demonstrate that cultural events can be just as important as sporting competitions.
Music, Gaelic language, traditional arts, food, heritage and local celebrations all provide opportunities to attract visitors and encourage spending.
They also help promote the identity of places that might otherwise receive relatively little attention.
What could Caithness and Sutherland do?
The question is not whether Caithness can stage another Commonwealth Games. Clearly, that would be unrealistic.
The more interesting question is whether a programme of smaller events, spread throughout the year, could generate a worthwhile and sustained economic contribution.
There are opportunities in several areas.
Cycling events could make use of the roads and landscapes of Caithness and Sutherland, attracting competitors, supporters and visitors who might stay for several nights.
Walking and outdoor activities could be developed around local landscapes, heritage sites and coastal communities.
Traditional Highland games, agricultural shows, music festivals and cultural events could be promoted more widely, with better coordination between organisers, accommodation providers and local businesses.
Wick and Thurso could also look at sporting competitions that make use of existing facilities rather than requiring expensive new buildings.
There may be opportunities to attract regional and national competitions in sports such as football, athletics, swimming, cycling and other activities where existing facilities are suitable.
The important point is that events need not be enormous to make a difference. A competition attracting several hundred participants and supporters, many of whom stay overnight, can provide useful business for a town.
A calendar of events could also help extend the visitor season beyond the traditional summer months.
Transport and accommodation matter
There are, however, practical obstacles.
The Highlands has considerable tourism potential, but transport remains a problem. Visitors need to be able to reach events without excessive cost or complicated journeys.
Accommodation can also become a constraint. A successful event needs sufficient beds, suitable facilities and the ability to accommodate visitors without displacing existing tourists or putting excessive pressure on local communities.
Organisers also need to consider the costs of staging events, including security, insurance, traffic management, toilets, waste collection and temporary infrastructure.
Not every event will generate more money than it costs.
That is why proper planning and measurement are important. Organisers should consider not only how many people attend but where they come from, how long they stay, what they spend and how much of that spending remains within the local economy.
Highland Council already recognises the role of events in supporting businesses, celebrating culture and heritage, strengthening communities and extending the tourism season.
The challenge is turning those ambitions into practical opportunities for individual towns and communities.
Could events become part of a wider Highland economic strategy?
Tourism already makes a substantial contribution to the Highland economy.
VisitScotland estimates that the Highlands received 1.79 million overnight visits in 2024, generating approximately £756 million in visitor spending.
There is therefore an established visitor economy onto which a stronger events programme could build.
Events can give people a specific reason to visit at a particular time rather than simply passing through on a touring holiday.
They can also encourage people who have visited once to return.
For smaller communities, there is an additional benefit. Events can strengthen local organisations, encourage volunteering, support young people and create a sense of shared purpose.
Wick Gala illustrates this particularly well. Its value is not confined to the money spent during one week. It also helps maintain relationships between people who have moved away and the community in which they grew up.
That is an economic and social benefit which deserves recognition, even if it is difficult to put an exact figure against it.
Measuring success rather than simply counting visitors
There is a danger that governments and councils concentrate too much on the headline attendance figures for major events.
A crowd of 10,000 people does not necessarily mean that a local economy has received a substantial boost. Many may be local residents who would have spent money in the area anyway.
The more useful questions are how many additional visitors an event attracts, how long they stay, how much they spend and whether local businesses benefit.
A simple economic assessment could be undertaken for selected events in Caithness and Sutherland.
Local businesses could be asked about changes in turnover, accommodation providers could record additional bookings, and organisers could collect information about where visitors have travelled from.
Over time, this would build a picture of which events provide the greatest local benefits and where further investment might be worthwhile.
It could also help community organisations make stronger applications for funding and sponsorship.
A bigger opportunity for Scotland's smaller communities
Glasgow's Commonwealth Games demonstrate what can be achieved when an event is built around existing facilities, experienced organisers and the strengths of the host community.
The same principle can apply on a much smaller scale.
Caithness does not need to compete with Glasgow for international sporting events. It needs to identify opportunities that suit its own facilities, landscape, history, culture and communities.
Wick Gala is already an example of how an annual event can bring people home and create a noticeable increase in activity for local businesses.
The next step could be to build on that experience, encourage other events and make better use of the facilities and attractions already available.
There is also an opportunity for Highland Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, local business organisations and community groups to work together on a more coordinated events programme.
Scotland's events economy should not be measured only by what happens in Glasgow, Edinburgh or other major centres.
Sometimes the most valuable contribution comes from an event that brings a few thousand people into a smaller town, fills local accommodation, keeps restaurants busy and gives local shops a welcome increase in customers.
And in places such as Wick, where maintaining population, business activity and community connections is an ongoing challenge, that contribution should not be underestimated.
Note
Wick Gala is not the only event to attract visiors and there are many across Caithness and the Highlands from agricultural shows to arts and sports and much more with allof them contributing to the economics of an area.
Glasgow 2026 Impact Evaluation