Scotland’s growing screen sector is projected to generate £1bn for the national economy by 2030, driven by major international productions and domestic hits like Celebrity Traitors and Outlander. However, this rapid expansion has triggered fierce debate over local crew employment, public broadcasting quotas, and the mounting pressure of screen tourism on fragile rural communities.
Economic Growth and Production Milestones
Television and film production has established itself as big business across Scotland. Ardross Castle, the oldest star of Celebrity Traitors, serves as a prime stop on VisitScotland’s official “screen tourism” trail. Following the conclusion of last year’s series, the BBC reported that the show had contributed £21.8m to the Scottish economy since 2022 through direct employment, supply chain expenditures, and screen tourism.
The broader landscape includes high-profile international projects utilizing Scottish locations. Productions like Outlander and The Odyssey have filmed across the Highlands and islands, while Glasgow city centre has stood in for New York and Gotham City respectively in the latest installments of Indiana Jones and Batman.
Jenni Steele, film and creative industries manager at VisitScotland, noted that the economic advantages stretch far beyond initial production windows. “The benefits of film tourism are worth millions to the economy, bringing jobs and opportunities, and are felt long after the film or TV series is released,” she said. Data from Glasgow Caledonian University and the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions revealed that Culloden battlefield saw a 43% surge in visitor numbers last year, heavily spurred by its prominent role in Outlander.
Labor and Broadcasting Quota Debates
Despite the sector’s financial trajectory, labor advocates and academic researchers have raised persistent questions about who benefits from the boom. Peter Strachan, a documentary filmmaker and academic who established the Standing Up For Scotland’s Screen Talent campaign group, analyzed production data from the third series of The Traitors. His research found that only about 6% of the production staff were Scottish.
This percentage falls short of Ofcom quotas stating the BBC must use 8% of network hours and expenditure in Scotland. While the BBC maintained that The Traitors was a Scottish production, and Studio Lambert—the company that produces the series—asserted that behind-the-scenes Scottish representation increases annually, critics argue the figures obscure true local integration.
Earlier this month, Strachan also urged Sony Pictures to disclose a detailed breakdown of local crew members hired in Glasgow during the 2025 production of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. “Local hiring is not necessarily the same thing as employing Scotland’s established screen-sector workforce,” Strachan argued, pointing out that temporary hires—such as local construction workers brought in briefly for set building—do not equate to sustainable careers for specialized broadcast freelancers.
At the institutional level, David Smith, interim Executive Director of Screen Scotland, acknowledged the industry’s net gains but pointed to systemic commissioning trends. Smith highlighted a “consistent decline” in the volume of shows commissioned by public service broadcasters from Scottish production companies, stating that industry stakeholders want to see a diversified and sustainable mix of projects across multiple genres and platforms.
Overtourism Pressures in Rural and Urban Hubs
The influx of camera crews and travelers has created severe strain for residents living near iconic filming sites. In Lochaber, the tiny hamlet of Glenfinnan—home to roughly 150 permanent residents—hosts a majestic viaduct made world-famous when it doubled as the Hogwarts Express railway bridge in the Harry Potter films. The scale of incoming traffic has overwhelmed local infrastructure, prompting Police Scotland to issue formal warnings regarding dangerous parking and anti-social behavior.
Similar challenges emerged near Inverness. Gillian Shields, a 54-year-old resident living close to the Culloden battlefield and the Clan Fraser stone popularized by Outlander, described the compounding strain on her community. In 2023, the site faced a temporary closure following physical deterioration caused by excessive visitor volumes. “People here are welcoming, and most of the visitors are lovely and respectful,” Shields said. “We’re not trying to turn anyone away, it’s just we see more and more every single year and it’s a worry whether our beautiful area can keep up with it.”
In response to these friction points, VisitScotland is collaborating with regional bodies to manage visitor flows. Steele explained that officials are working to educate travelers on appropriate timing and behavior. “We know that success can bring with it challenges in certain locations,” she said. “Film and TV fans will be drawn to them regardless. That’s why we work with partners and local bodies to understand the challenges so we can educate and inform visitors of where and when they should visit and encourage them to act responsibly and explore beyond the on-screen locations.”
