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The mecca bingo blyth'Outlander effect': How a time-travel romance transformed Scottish tourism12 August 2025ShareSaveLynn BrownShareSaveGetty ImagesOutlander fans have flocked to Scotland in record numbers to walk in the footsteps of the show’s characters (Credit: Getty Images)Outlander has became one of Scotland's biggest tourism drivers, bringing hundreds of thousands of visitors to castles, moors and battlefields.When Diana Gabaldon's Outlander novels were adapted into a TV series in 2014, few could have predicted the transformative effect they would have on Scottish tourism. But over the past decade, the sweeping time-travel romance has helped turn quiet Highland villages, moorland battlefields and centuries-old castles into pilgrimage sites for fans – and fuelled a global fascination with Scottish ancestry and culture."We knew that Outlander would have a real impact because there was a whole generation of people who loved the books and were then invested in Scotland," said Jenni Steele, film and creative industries manager at Visit Scotland. "So when it was being made into a TV series, that really kind of re-energised the story."The series, which follows WW2 nurse Claire Randall as she's transported back in time to 18th-Century Scotland where she falls in love with Scottish warrior Jamie Fraser, is shot in evocative locations across the country, from the Devil's Pulpit in Glen Finnich to the standing stones at Calanais. In fact, Scotland's landscapes have become as much a draw for Outlander fans as the story itself.AlamyDestinations like Blackness Castle have seen unbelievable increases in visitor numbers since the show began (Credit: Alamy)For Canadian Isheeta Borkar, a tech professional and blogger at Travelicious Couple who travelled to Scotland with her husband, the experience was much more than simply a holiday. "As Outlander fans, Scotland wasn't just a trip, it was a full-blown emotional pilgrimage," she said. "The second we landed, I had the theme song playing in the car. It set the tone for a trip that was part fandom, part history lesson, part time-travel fantasy."Where to visit:Follow in the footsteps of Claire and Jamie at these Outlander destinations:? Blackness Castle – This 15th-Century keep, which doubles as Fort William, welcomes guests interested in learning about its history.? Culross – Outlander fans will recognise the beautiful historic village that was used as the town of Cranesmuir in the show.? Culloden Battlefield – Visit the site of the Jacobite uprising of 1745, which plays an important role in the Outlander storyline.? Calanais Standing Stones – Located on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, these standing stones were the inspiration for Craigh na Dun. ? VisitScotland has a free 12-day Outlander driving route that covers many of the filming destinations as well as places to learn more about Scottish history and culture.The impact of Outlander-inspired travel to Scotland has been intense. A 2023 visitor survey by VisitScotland found that 8% of respondents – nearly 700,000 people – were inspired to visit by a TV show, with many citing Outlander specifically as their reason for travelling. A separate 2022 report created in collaboration with the Moffat Centre for Travel and Tourism at Glasgow Caledonian University, found that filming sites across Scotland saw an average 19% increase in visitors between 2014 and 2022, with some locations seeing extraordinary spikes – Blackness Castle, which doubles as Fort William, has seen visits rise by 379% since the show first aired.What makes the Outlander Effect so powerful is the kind of travel it inspires. According to Steele, Outlander fans are much more interested in the country's rural, cultural and historical destinations, choosing places like the picturesque village of Culross or the windswept Culloden Battlefield, both of which had prominent roles in the show, over well-known cities like Edinburgh or Glasgow. "There were actually quite a lot of attractions that had lower footfall, but then once the series showcased that location, the fans were really coming," said Steele. "Some of them [saw an] increase in visitors [that] was absolutely incredible. More than double in some cases."Of course, this level of popularity presents its own challenges. Many of the featured sites are not equipped to manage a surge in foot traffic. "You have to think about the conservation of it," said Steele. "[Can] this building, which is a really ancient castle or monument or something, sustain the number of visitors? Is it somewhere that's actually manned and people pay a ticket and go in, or is it somewhere that's maybe a little more rural and maybe doesn't have a person attending? We have to be quite careful about that."AlamyIn addition to filming sites, the show has also sparked an interest in Scottish history and culture more broadly (Credit: Alamy)Still, overall, the Outlander Effect has been embraced by the Scottish tourism industry, with a wide variety of tours, Scottish heritage events and self-guided driving routes now available across the country."I have been doing Outlander tours since 2017," said James Kennedy, who offers private full-day Outlander tours via ToursbyLocals. "I was an on-screen Jacobite in season two and being able to show clients pictures of me on set and tell them a few stories about what it was like has certainly made me one of the busier guides."More like this:? The secret royal 'pyramids' of Scotland? The 'White Lotus effect': How TV and film locations impact travel? Scotland's epic 210-mile bikepacking adventureHowever, he notes that there is one thing that still eludes guests, many of whom are solo female travellers: "I think I need to invest in a red curly wig for future tours," he quipped. "They all seem a little disappointed when they don't find [their own] Jamie."Despite the scarcity of highland warriors available in real life, the Outlander Effect shows no signs of slowing down. Even as fans prepare for the show's final season, which is set to air in early 2026, a new prequel is in the works, which Steele suspects will see renewed interest in Scotland and its history."Outlander brought us to Scotland," Borkar told the BBC. "But the real-life magic of the place made it unforgettable. I can't wait to return."--If you liked this story, sign up for The Essential List newsletter – a handpicked selection of features, videos and can't-miss news, delivered to your inbox twice a week. 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