The Traitors fuels a small business boom in the Scottish Highlands
The Traitors has sparked an entrepreneurial drive in the Scottish Highlands, as new GoDaddy data reveals a dramatic growth in small business activity since the show’s second season aired in January 2024.
The new data comes from the GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab, an international research initiative that studies the economic impact of more than 600,000 small businesses in the UK, as well as the attitudes of their owners. Each constituency in the UK receives a Microbusiness Density growth count by mapping the concentration of microbusiness owners against local population sizes.
Jamie Stone, MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, praised the show for bringing millions of pounds and jobs to the Scottish Highlands, and GoDaddy data demonstrates the economic impact across the region.
Ardross Castle constituency sees 53% rise in Microbusiness Density
The Traitors is filmed at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, within the constituency of Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross. The constituency has increased its Microbusiness Density from 0.65 (before the first series aired) to 0.99, representing an impressive 53% uplift.
The uplift reflects how a cultural phenomenon parallels real-world opportunity for growth in new businesses across sectors such as tourism, hospitality, transport, and local goods and services among others.
GoDaddy data suggests a wider ripple effect across the Highlands
The highland constituency Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey has grown its microbusiness density by an impressive 76% since season 2, whilst Ross, Skye and Lochaber experienced strong growth of 66%.
Highland growth has matched, and in some cases outpaced, key economic centres including Glasgow South West (+69%), Edinburgh South West (+73%), Leeds Central (+44%), and Bristol West (+61%).
According to further research from GoDaddy and Frontier Economics, the growth of digital microbusinesses delivers measurable benefits to the wider economy. A 10% increase in digital microbusiness density is linked to an average rise of £360 in median annual pay, 5.1 additional jobs per thousand residents, and over £26 million in additional GDP for a typical local authority of 200,000 people. This constituency-level growth reflects broader economic benefits associated with rising digital microbusiness activity
Alexandra Rosen, economist and head of the GoDaddy Small Business Research Lab, said: “Major TV moments can act like an economic spark for the places they spotlight. While the business of filming provides a short-term boost to local economies, the real opportunity lies as viewers become inspired to visit and book experiences to get a taste of what they have seen on screen, or local residents become inspired to pursue passions and fulfil local and widespread demands. It is inspiring to see that a surge in attention is being paralleled by entrepreneurs across the Scottish Highlands, delivering benefits to their local economies.”
Growth in Microbusiness Density since Season 2 of The Traitors aired | |
Highland constituency | Growth since January 2024 |
Argyll and Bute | +65% |
Ross, Skye and Lochaber | +66% |
Na h-Eileanan an Iar | +57% |
Orkney and Shetland | +85% |
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross | +53% |
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey | +76% |
Moray | +67% |