New study finds Edinburgh Airport contributes nearly £1bn to Scottish economy every year

Scotland's Edinburgh Airport contributes approximately £1bn every year to the country's economy, a study by economic consultancy firm BiGGAR Economics has revealed.

According to the study, the Scottish airport offers more than 23,000 jobs across the country.

Edinburgh Economy Convener Councillor Gavin Barrie said: "This study proves that Edinburgh Airport is a key driver for our economy and for Edinburgh's international standing as a top visitor and business destination.

"The number of passengers travelling through our airport has increased by 22% in the last four years, making it the busiest airport in Scotland.

"As flight routes and passenger numbers continue to increase, so too will local job opportunities and the scale of the economic contribution associated with the airport."

By 2020, Edinburgh Airport is also expected to be worth between £1.1bn and £1.6bn gross value added (GVA) per year, while the level of economic activity at the airport could support up to 40,300 jobs across Scotland.

Edinburgh Airport chief executive Gordon Dewar said: "Edinburgh Airport is an increasingly important economic asset for the country as a whole, and these figures demonstrate just how important a competitive airport is for a country with Scotland's ambition and international profile.

"Our growth in recent years has been supported by one of the largest private investments of its kind in national infrastructure, to build new facilities and attract an unprecedented number of new, direct international connections to Scotland."

The airport currently handles over 11 million passengers every year, compared to nearly five million passengers in 1999.

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Image: Edinburgh Airport handles 11 million passengers every year. Photo: courtesy of M4kumba82.