Scotcast - Can the Edinburgh festivals survive much longer?
Download Can the Edinburgh festivals survive much longer?
Edinburgh festivals – the Fringe, International, Book – bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city every year, but are they sustainable?
BBC Scotland’s arts correspondent, Pauline McLean has covered the festivals for nearly three decades. She tells us about the evolution of the events, the introduction of a ‘tourist tax’ this year, and why the TV festival has already fled the city.
Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast. This episode is hosted by Laura Miller.
Get in touch: scotcast@bbc.co.uk
Published on Friday, 7th August 2026.
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