​The world’s largest Scottish Gaelic festival, the Royal National Mòd 2025, generated an economic boost of £3.9 million to Lochaber, making it the most successful edition of the event in six years.

A report published today by experts at Tourism Resources Company on behalf of organisers An Comunn Gàidhealach, shows attendance figures surpassed 9,400 – up 4% on 2024 – as local businesses boomed and expenditure in the area climbed.

The nine days of cultural celebration and Gàidhlig and music competitions transformed Fort William into a thriving hotspot of Gaelic language from 10 - 18 October 2025, with 69 full-time equivalent jobs estimated to have been created from the event’s staging in the area.

The major event, which was recognised at the recent MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards for its community impact, was also hugely successful in promoting and supporting the use of Gaelic – now an official language of Scotland in law.

Of those surveyed for the report, 83% believed more strongly in the importance of Gaelic following the Mòd. A substantial 74% were inspired to attend Gaelic events more frequently, 71% were encouraged to improve their Gaelic language skills, and 70% now wanted to use Gaelic more often.

The event, which is an important annual gathering for Gaels and Gaelic supporters across Scotland and beyond, was also found to have important social benefits – 83% found it was a great way to meet friends, 80% felt encouraged to engage socially and 73% found the event improved their mental health.

2025 was the ninth time Lochaber has staged the prestigious 133-year-old event and the area proved to be a perfect destination once again. Fort William was highly rated among attendees, with 91% deeming it a very good or good host destination.

A total of 95% surveyed visited local restaurants, cafes and pubs, 89% headed to local shops and 72% enjoyed local visitor attractions and places of interest.

The Mòd staged 300 individual events and its thriving fringe events and buzzing atmosphere also impressed visitors. These were noted as stand-out aspects of the Lochaber Mòd, reflecting its undeniable festival feel.

Scotland’s premier celebration of Gaelic language, culture, sport and art will move to Glasgow this October. The city is home to the greatest concentration of Gaelic speakers outside of the Western Isles and 91% of those surveyed stated that they are very likely or likely to attend Mòd 2026.

The 2025 Royal National Mòd also saw competition entries rise for the third consecutive year, with 1,900 competitors taking part. Hundreds of cups, trophies, plates, shields, quaichs and medals were dished out to deserving winners across the week.

Peigi MacLennan, Chief Executive of An Comunn Gàidhealach, said: “The Royal National Mòd is the world’s largest Scottish Gaelic cultural showcase and this report demonstrates its immense value and relevance in Scotland today. Scottish Gaelic is an important economic and cultural asset and we are incredibly proud to celebrate its unique culture and spirit. Lochaber delivered an exceptional event that had a hugely positive impact on local businesses and on those that attended. The Mòd has gone from strength to strength in recent years and we cannot wait to build on this success in Glasgow later this year.”

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “The Royal National Mòd is a flagship celebration of Gaelic language and culture. These figures demonstrate the significant economic and social impact it delivers for communities. A £3.9 million boost to Lochaber, along with the jobs and business activity it supported, shows the value of investing in our languages.

“This year’s event reflected the spirit of our Scottish Languages Act which gave Gaelic official status on St Andrew’s Day. We are backing this commitment with an extra £1.8 million for Gaelic initiatives in our draft Budget for 2026-27.”

Highland Council leader Raymond Bremner said: “The 2025 Royal National Mòd was a fantastic success story which once again demonstrated Gaelic’s importance to the economic prosperity of our region, and for the cultural confidence of those who live in Highland.

“Although the Mòd lasts for just over a week, the events leave a hugely positive legacy that endures for years. It generates money for local business, and it inspires and encourages so many people to use and develop Gaelic skills.

“Huge congratulations are due to all the organisers who devoted so much time to putting on a brilliant week of events, and to the communities of Lochaber for being fantastic hosts.”

Chair of Highland Council’s Gaelic Committee, Cllr Drew Millar, said: “The Royal National Mòd has shown us once again why Gaelic and culture are such prized assets, which carry enormous social and economic benefits for our area.

“Highland Council has been proud to champion Gaelic for many years, and we can see a clear return on the investment and support for the language through the success of events like the Mòd.”

Rob Dickson, Director of Industry and Events at VisitScotland, said: “The Royal National Mòd is a key part of Scotland’s diverse portfolio of events and festivals, and it is wonderful to see the strong economic and social impact this year’s celebration has delivered.

“The Mòd continues to show how vital Gaelic is to Scotland’s cultural identity, honouring our language, music and traditions while inspiring new generations to celebrate their heritage. The success of the event has played an important role in helping drive Scotland’s visitor economy, attracting audiences to Lochaber and showcasing our world-class tourism and events offering.”

Iain Robertson, Chair of the Lochaber Mòd 2025 Local Committee, said: “The results from the economic survey are fantastic for Fort William and the wider Lochaber area. The local organising committee, along with our volunteers, are delighted to have contributed to the excellent results. We took the decision early in our planning to provide an ambitious fringe programme that had something for everyone and to see that come to fruition has been humbling. The new initiatives around the marquee with live music, catering, stalls, street ceilidhs and our mascot Fergie all served to create a festival atmosphere. The town and venues demonstrated that Lochaber can successfully hold nationally and culturally important events such as the Royal National Mòd.

“The impact on our local business community has been exceptional with all sectors benefiting. The buzz created around the area during Mòd week is still being talked about. We thank An Comunn and the local community of Lochaber for the success of the event and look forward to bringing the Royal National Mòd back to the area in the future. We wish Glasgow all the success for 2026.”

Duncan Mackison, CEO of CalMac, said: “CalMac has been a proud supporter of the Royal National Mòd for 30 years and we really enjoy being a part of this annual highlight of Gaelic culture. We play an important role, ensuring that choirs and guests travel to the festival, with the music and singing often beginning on the journey onboard the ferry.

“While we know how important the Mòd is to Gaelic culture in Scotland and the islands, this report highlights the economic benefits it also brings to local communities, providing a welcome boost to businesses.

“Our continued sponsorship of the Mòd is an ideal way to show our commitment to supporting Gaelic communities and the culture that connects so many of our routes.”

The Lochaber Mòd was supported by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, The Highland Council, The Scottish Government, Caledonian MacBrayne, BBC ALBA, Creative Scotland and SQA.

The Royal National Mòd returns to Glasgow in 2026, from 9 - 17 October.

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