Poetry "a huge contributor to Scottish economy"

January 18, 2006 The BBC-documentary "Burns the Brand" asked a World Bank economist to calculate the benefit of the Scottish bard to the Scottish economy. She found that Burns-related tourism, the biggest single source of income, accounts for £150 million. Merchandising raises a further £5.5 million, and spendings around Burns Night (January 25) on delicacies like haggis and shortbread equal £1.2 million, with an additional £300,000 for paying pipers and kilt hire, the BBC reports.

David Stenhouse, the producer of the programme, stated: "We are not saying we can reduce his worth to pounds, shillings and pence but a number of people come here, spend a lot of money and Burns the Brand is a huge contributor to the Scottish economy."