We’ve welcomed guests from 118 countries to The Loch Ness Centre in our first year as part of Continuum Attractions

More than 85,000 people have joined the hunt for the Loch Ness Monster in the last year, including visitors from 118 countries.

Today, marks the first anniversary of the reopening of The Loch Ness Centre in Drumnadrochit. Continuum Attractions invested £1.5m in our amazing Highlands attraction in 2023, intertwining high-tech and immersive storytelling with the legendary story of the Nessie.

Lured by its rich mix of scientific research and reported sightings, guests have descended on the original Drumnadrochit Hotel from all four corners of the world in the last 12 months, including from Australia, Guatemala, Malawi and Mongolia.

While guests are intrigued by stories of Nessie, it’s clear that many believe tales of the legendary creature are based in fact. Since reopening last year, visitors have been having their say at the end of each hour-long tour. They say:

‘I see Nessie’ – 48%

‘Nonsense’ – 23%

‘Possibility’ – 28%

Juliana Delaney, our CEO, says:

 “The Loch Ness story is one of the most famous ever told and, more than ever, we are discovering that there are believers in almost every country, keen to make up their own minds about Nessie.

When we redesigned and reopened the attraction last year, we were committed to retaining the authenticity and portraying the real story behind Loch Ness, its mysteries and its monster. Moving away from the cliches, we were passionate about focusing on the facts and real-life accounts. We acknowledge that, in many cases, there are rational explanations grounded in science for what people encounter but there are still plenty that have gone unexplained to this day.

Our balance between explaining the science and beautifully illustrating witness accounts is what continues to draw people to the Loch and The Loch Ness Centre. Guests from six continents and 118 countries can’t be wrong.”

Visitors have praised the Centre’s “modern and fresh” presentation and how it appeals to all ages, backed by its five-star status on Tripadvisor.

One guest said:

“What an excellent experience. It’s not what I was expecting. It was educational, witty and there was something for everyone. It was a really well-balanced view of possibilities with enough of a magical element to fulfil the fantasy.”

A visit to the Centre is internationally popular. In the last year, bookings have come from across the globe, including:

• Guatemala
• Laos
• Malawi
• Mozambique
• Nepal
• Oman
• Peru
• Samoa
• Turkmenistan
• Venezuela
• Zambia

As well as visiting the centre, more than 13,000 guests have also headed out onto the Loch on a Deepscan Cruise. The boat, named after the first Operation Deepscan Expedition carried out in the Loch in 1987, ferries guests across the water to search its depths using world-class sonar equipment, as well as to get stunning views of Urquhart Castle.