Homecoming 2014 generated £136 million of additional revenue to the Scottish economy and encouraged more than 326,000 visitors from outside of Scotland to travel to the country.

Stirling and Forth Valley played an important role in the Homecoming Scotland 2014 programme with key events hosted in the area including; Race the Castles Orienteering Tour, Scottish Diaspora Tapestry, McLaren 2014 and Pipefest Stirling 2014.

The independent research, commissioned by VisitScotland, was presented by Tourism Minister Fergus Ewing last week.

Liz Buchanan, regional director of VisitScotland, said: “2014 was quite simply an incredible year. Not only did we host some of the world’s greatest sporting events – the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup – we did the best thing a country can ever do, we celebrated ourselves.

“From culture to food and drink, nature to ancestry, Stirling and Forth Valley played an important role with being included in more than 1000 events across the country showing the world just how incredible the area and indeed Scotland is – and visitors from home and abroad flocked to see us.

“Of course, the real success story of 2014 was the Scottish people – they welcomed the world with a friendly smile ensuring that everyone who visited became an ambassador for the country. Thank you to every single person who made Homecoming 2014 the outstanding triumph it was.”