ORGANISERS of the world's biggest clan gathering yesterday predicted the event was on track to be a sell-out as Scotland gears up to celebrate the 250th birthday of Robert Burns.
More than 5,500 of the 8,000 passes guaranteeing entry to all events at The Gathering, in Edinburgh's Holyrood Park, have now been snapped up ahead of the two-day spectacular in July.
Organiser Jamie Sempill said he expected all 8,500 "passports"
for the event to be sold out within the next two months because of the increased amount of interest the event was generating, particularly overseas.
They have revealed around 48 per cent of tickets have been sold in the US and Canada, with 14 sold in Australia and New Zealand. Some 140 different clans have signed up.
The news about The Gathering has emerged amid growing evidence that the Homecoming celebrations are set to get off to a successful start.
More than 300 events planned to mark the landmark Burns anniversary are due to start within days – and the Bard is already set to help deliver record ticket sales for one of Scotland's biggest music festivals. Organisers of Celtic Connections in Glasgow are hoisting the "sold out" signs up for a string of events inspired by the Bard's birthday later this month.
The festival, which kicks off tomorrow, is expected to be one of the major focal points for the 250th Homecoming celebrations as they are held during the event's middle weekend.
Organisers of the Homecoming celebrations have revealed all 1200 tickets for a spectacular sound and light show in Burns' birthplace village of Alloway, in Ayrshire, on January 24 have been snapped up. It has also emerged that more than 2100 Burns Suppers around the world have now registered to take part in the Homecoming celebrations.
More than 40,000 people are expected to flock to The Gathering – which is planned to be the centrepiece of this year's "Homecoming Scotland" celebrations – were released yesterday.
But just 8000 will be able to take part in a parade up the Royal Mile and a historical pageant on the Castle Esplanade.
Mr Sempill said: "Thousands of people from around the globe will come together for the greatest international clan gathering ever held.
"There is now a huge amount of momentum behind Homecoming. The situation with the euro and the dollar has completely changed over the last few months and we'd expect that to help boost things dramatically for us."
Meanwhile, music fans are facing a scramble to see stars including Eddi Reader, Dougie MacLean, Karen Matheson, Nanci Griffith, Karine Polwart, The Wilders and Mary Gauthier at Celtic Connections.
Organisers say a surge in overseas bookings from the likes of Australia, Africa and Asia has helped advance bookings already reach last year's record-breaking levels.
Organisers have been forced to add a second concert by Eddi Reader after her tribute to the work of Burns sold out.
