Capsule hotels in vogue in Scottish tourism boom

An Asian-inspired capsule hotel concept, introduced to Scotland for the first time, has become a major draw for the rapidly growing Chinese and Asian tourist market in the capital.

Central Edinburgh-based CODE Pod Hostel has become the affordable accommodation of choice for design-conscious travelers from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and South Korea, who are drawn to Scotland's capital city in increasing numbers.

Visitors to CODE Pod Hostel from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong accounted for the highest number of guests after British visitors, overtaking the USA, who held the number 2 spot in 2016. Bookings from Asia as a whole represented 26 percent of total visitors, well ahead of the UK's 23 percent.

The venue also reported a 7 percent increase in Asian visitors during the busy festival period this year, compared to the same time last year.

The move towards "capsule hotel" or "pod hostel" accommodation, which first emerged in some of Asia's largest cities, meets the demand for accommodation in high-density urban areas.

This is ideally suited to the ever-popular Scottish capital, where affordable accommodation is sought after, especially in peak summer months.

The growing appeal of the CODE Pod Hostel formula comes as the number of trips to Edinburgh by Chinese nationals has consistently grown, increasing by 45 percent yearly since 2014, according to figures from the Edinburgh Tourism Action Group, an umbrella organisation for the tourism sector in Edinburgh.

"We are delighted that Code Hostel has proven to be a major draw to many of Edinburgh's Chinese and Asian tourists," Andrew Landsburgh, founder and managing director of CODE Pod Hostel, said "The hostel operates in complete harmony with its environment and provides a real solution to visitors looking for high quality, central and affordable accommodation."

Landsburgh also said his team is dedicated to ensuring that guests experience the very best in "pod hostel" accommodation.

Scotland's capital city attracts 83 percent of the country's total Chinese visitors market, a massive share. The value of this tourism was 26.5 million pounds ($36 million) in 2015 and represented 79 percent of Chinese visitor expenditures in Scotland overall, according to the 2016 Facts and Figures report by the tourism action group.

Edinburgh Castle welcomed more than 150,000 Chinese nationals in 2015, while the city continues to strengthen its appeal as a university town, enrolling around 4,000 Chinese students each year, of which 53 percent welcome friends and family from home at least once per year.