More than 1,000 performers are expected at this summer's event

Organisers have now sold the last of the 208,848 tickets six months ahead of the opening night.

The tickets for this summer's event sold out six weeks earlier than last year and have so far generated �4.6m at the box office.

The 24-performance run on Edinburgh Castle's esplanade will be the tattoo's eighth successive sold-out season.

'Tourism economy'

The 57th tattoo, which will celebrate the army in Scotland, is expected to feature more than 1,000 performers from Australia, Switzerland, South Africa, New Zealand and Britain.

It will be the last for retiring producer Brigadier Mel Jameson, who said he was delighted with the event's popularity after so many years.

"It's such good news that the success of this event continues to make a significant impact on the Scottish tourism economy as well as on our ability to increase our yearly charitable giving," he added.