GLASGOW is on the verge of overtaking Edinburgh as Scotland's number one visitor destination, according to new figures.

Hotel occupancy rates in the city matched the capital for the first five months of 2007, it emerged today.

Major events such as the Uefa Cup Final at Hampden helped push the average occupancy rate between January and May to 73%.

Demand peaked in the days leading up to the glamour clash, between Sevilla and Espanyol, with 84% of the city's hotel rooms full.

Reader Poll Is Glasgow a better city for tourists to visit than Edinburgh? Yes 74.6% No 21.1% Don't know 4.2%

The figure was the highest since records began seven years ago and 8% up on the total for the same period in 2006.

Scott Taylor, chief executive of the Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, believes the city is reaping the benefits from the international Scotland With Style marketing campaign and its booming conference sector.

He said: "I think this justifies the investment made in our brand positioning.

"This growth isn't about exceeding Edinburgh but Berlin, Barcelona, London and Birmingham.

"It is critical that Glasgow and Edinburgh continue to invest strongly in their brands to ensure they are able to compete in the global economy."

Glasgow already has around 9000 hotel rooms within a 10-mile radius, with more in the pipeline.

Proposed new developments include the luxury 26-storey Argyle International, which has been earmarked for the corner of Argyle Street and Robertson Street, and will include 158 rooms and a rooftop swimming pool.

And the former Albany Hotel in Bothwell Street is to be razed to the ground to make way for a £100million development with two hotels in its place.

John Lennon, professor of tourism at Glasgow Caledonian University, said: "Glasgow has caught up largely because it performs strongly in a number of key areas but it has been a long slow climb.

"The beauty is, we have two cities, two very strong and different products, just 40 minutes apart.

"Separately they perform well but together they would be unbeatable. Few places in Europe could offer what they could provide together."

Steven Purcell, leader of Glasgow City Council and chairman of the City Marketing Bureau, added: "People who stay in Glasgow hotels also use other local facilities, helping us grow our economy and get more people into work.

"The city's tourism sector is a major part of our economic success.

"Glasgow is a first-class destination for business and leisure tourists and this will increase in the years ahead."