ORGANISERS of the ROYAL Edinburgh Military Tattoo are in talks over the possibility of broadcasting this summer's event to China and India
The move would add millions of extra viewers to one of Scotland's most important cultural highlights, boosting tourism.
The event which which attracts 220,000 people to Edinburgh Castle esplanade each year is shown on TV to around 100 million people globally.
Brigadier David Allfrey, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo's chief executive and producer, reveals the discussions in a BBC Scotland documentary, How Scotland Works, to be broadcast on Tuesday [MAY 5].
He said: "We are at the moment talking to Doordarshan, the Indian state broadcaster who have an audience of 500 million.
"With those, combined with channels that are in China, we are chasing a one billion television audience."
He added: "If you are able to close a substantial licensing deal with both of those networks, that immediately jumps you in the extraordinary league in terms of television audience.
"I'm very optimistic. I think we have got a great product and I think the Chinese and Indian population will be fascinated by the show.
"I think that will then be a precursor for them to come over as visitors."
The annual event on Edinburgh Castle Esplanade is the biggest of its kind in the world, and one of Scotland's biggest cultural exports.
This year's show, from August 7-29, will feature 1400 performers from five continents.
Brig. Allfrey said the event would include a spectacular Bollywood section, which would be adapted for a full-length performance at the Edinburgh Mela Festival -- Scotland's largest festival of world music and dance -- on August 30.
Meanwhile, budget travellers bound for Glasgow has been given a boost with the news that the city is to get a second youth hostel.
SYHA Hostelling Scotland is to run the Glasgow Metro Youth Hostel from 26 June until the end of Auugst in The Glasgow School of Art's Margaret Macdonald House.
It complements the organisation's existing year round youth hostel overlooking Kelvingrove Park in West End.
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