HUNDREDS of last-minute tickets for this year's Edinburgh Military Tattoo may become available because of the credit crunch and a downturn in visitors from the United States.
Organisers have admitted that more returns than normal could be available during this year's run of the sold-out event.
Tattoo organisers have refused to say how many tickets have already been returned and numerous packages for trips to the event
were still available on the internet yesterday.
It is thought demand to attend the event via the travel trade industry – which normally accounts for about half of all sales – has been well down this year.
Tickets took nearly three months longer to sell this year than in 2007, and it is thought several thousand have already been returned since it was officially sold out in April.
Normally, dozens of returns are released at the box office each day of the world-famous event, but it is thought hundreds could be going up for grabs each day.
The Scotsman was able to find a number of different packages offering prime tickets for the Tattoo on sale yesterday.
Last week we revealed how bookings at hotels and guest houses throughout the festival season were well down on last year.
Dozens of private flats are also still being advertised as available for the normally-lucrative month.
Yesterday, however, Tattoo officials insisted they still expected all tickets to be taken up for the event, which is officially sold out for the tenth year.
A spokesman said: "Around 48 per cent of our tickets are sold well in advance via the travel trade. They always sell out well in advance and that did not change this year. We've had quite a few returned over the last few months and it is possible that more will be returned by tour companies over the next few weeks.
"It is possible that there will be more tickets available via the box office on the day than normal. There are usually around 50 or 60 available, although this can vary from day to day.
"It's been no secret that the event has been a harder sell this year. The United States market has been softening for a while and the economic downturn has also had an impact.
"However, it's worth underlining that every ticket has been sold, which is an incredible achievement for the tenth year in a row."
Major-General Euan Loudon, producer of the Tattoo, added: "People should by no means give up hope of going to this year's Tattoo. They should keeping checking the website and also know that any returns will go on sale on the day at our box office."
A spokeswoman for the Association of British Travel Agents, said: "It's not obvious why there should be a big drop-off of interest in the Tattoo.
"There's no doubt the American market has been affected this year, but a lot of people are holidaying at home in the UK and the interest from Europe is also up."
Ticket sales for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival are roughly in line with last year.
Meanwhile, the line-up for this year's Tattoo, which runs from 31 July to 23 August, was unveiled yesterday.
Highlights include pipes and drums bands from India, Singapore and Australia, the Golden Eagles Marching Band from Missouri, an all-girl marching drill team from Wellington, New Zealand, and the first Indian military band to perform at the Tattoo for almost 50 years.
The full article contains 591 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
