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The Herald Scotland

'Our tours have expanded east due to The Barras Market'

A lot can change in the space of 15 years. As well as maintaining its status as the beating and banter-filled heart of Glasgow, The Barras has also become a must-visit destination for tourists visiting the city for its cultural significance and the truly unique Glasgow experience it provides. Travel bible National Geographic is among those to have gone big on The Barras trumpet blowing, describing it is 'a market reborn' and the best spot to 'shop like a local' and unearth a bargain or browse for antiques and vintage fashion. BAaD, the multi-use event space and venue located within the market, is also mentioned in glowing terms: 'With e-bike racks nearby, and a healthy presence of IPAs, street art, hipsters and all, it almost feels as though you could be in Brooklyn'. Meanwhile, Gothenburg-based ArrivalGuides, which claims to be the world's largest distributor of destination content, describes The Barras as a 'justly renowned vintage flea market' that is a 'great place to people-watch and pick up some words of the distinctive Glasgow patter'. The Barras Market (Image: Gordon Terris) Glasgow City Council has put the work in to promote the market as a tourist destination via improvement work such as more signage directing tourists and visitors to Glasgow to the market, improving the public realm and the area's connections to surrounding neighbourhoods to encourage more footfall from the centre centre and repairing the distinctive Barras arches. Key to the growth in popularity of The Barras as a 'must-see' destination for tourists visiting Glasgow has been the rise of localism - encouraging visitors to engage with and support local businesses and cultures - within the context of tourism revival in post-Covid pandemic. With the increasing presence of multinational corporations and global retail chains leading to a sense of homogeneity in cities across the globe, the concept of 'neighbourhood' tourism has soared as travellers seek a local sense of place and more experiences that are true to local culture. In tandem has been a rise in a more ethically conscious generation of travellers who seek to positively impact the destinations they visit and prioritize supporting local communities and businesses. A 2023 report by digital travel company found that 75% of surveyed travellers expressed a desire for "authentic experiences that are representative of the local culture". READ MORE: How The Barras stealthily became Glasgow's most exciting foodie destination 'You won't find Starbucks here!': Fourth generation trader on Barras evolution How lockdown brought pizza revolution to 'Glasgow's coolest food spot Chris Greenwood, Senior Research Fellow at The Moffat Centre for [[Travel]] and Tourism at Glasgow Caledonian University, the UK's largest university-based consultancy and research centre for tourism and travel market research and business development, believes both localism and 'intangible cultural heritage' are experiencing a real growth in popularity at the moment. He told The Herald: 'Visitors come to see and be immersed in the real destination. The heritage and history of The Barras provides all those levers for visitors who want the real Glasgow. 'It's also an attraction that supports a number of local businesses which is a major factor for supporting a sustainable visitor economy and the surrounding communities which also benefit." VisitScotland, the organization responsible for promoting the country as a travel destination, has also noticed a growth in the popularity of community-focused tourism, from independent producers and retailers and localism, in particular with its international markets. Examples include farming 'agritourism', where you can meet the animals and farm workers, to arts and crafts such as gin-making classes and of course trips to Scotch Whisky visitor centres, which have collectively risen to become the top visitor attraction in Scotland. A stallholder at The Barras VisitScotland's Regional Director Lynne Cooper told The Herald: 'Shopping is a popular choice for visitors to Glasgow and there's a great range of experiences, to suit all budgets and tastes. 'The Barras offers an authentic way visitors can support local traders and enjoy the famous storytelling and humour associated with the city. 'Working with our local partners we're encouraging visitors to discover unique experiences like this all over Glasgow. 'Tourism and events are among the city's most important industries and economic drivers. The visitor economy is helping to regenerate areas like the East End, by supporting jobs, businesses and encouraging investment.' While exact data on footfall is hard to track as a result of The Barras being a free attraction, sightseeing tour agency City Sightseeing Glasgow, which offers hop-on hop-off bus tours around the city, can testify to the market's growth in popularity among visitors to the city. Richy Graham, Operations Manager at City Sightseeing Glasgow, told The Herald: "At City Sightseeing Glasgow, we've witnessed first-hand how The Barras weekend market is becoming one of the city's vibrant and popular destinations. 'Our tours have expanded east due to the market and the areas rising popularity. Stops 4 (Red Route) and 9 (Yellow Route) cater specifically to Barras visitors, and we've noticed more customers requesting these stops. 'Whether you're exploring the stalls, enjoying the music, or immersing yourself in the atmosphere, The Barras continues to reflect the authentic, eclectic, and lively heart and soul of Glasgow. It perfectly showcases what makes our city so special and real."