Lancashire Tourism sector hits 67 million visitors

5 October 2017

with more jobs, more visitors and increased spend revealed in latest figures 

Today, Friday 6 October, Marketing Lancashire revealed the latest annual tourism figures have risen +4.5% to 67 million, jobs in the sector have increased by +2.6% to over 59,000 and the economic impact of the visitor economy has risen +5.3% to £4.13 billion.  

Lancashire continues to excel as a destination for day visitors, thanks to a calendar packed full of unique and appealing year-round events and a wide range of attractions, with visitors on day trips to Lancashire having increased by +4.7% to 58.9million. The news is also positive for the county’s accommodation providers, as visitors choosing to stay for short breaks and holidays have also increased +2.9% to 8.3million with the average stay of 3.1 nights.

Ruth Connor, Chief Executive of Marketing Lancashire commenting on the news said;

“We’re delighted to see another successive year of growth in visitor numbers as well as a marked year on year increase in both economic impact and jobs, endorsing the very valuable contribution that tourism continues to make to Lancashire’s prosperity.

“Our visitor economy strategy aims to see visitor numbers reach 70 million by 2020 so with continued investment in quality developments, new attractions, events, customer service excellence and our enviable reputation for a warm welcome, that goal is well within our grasp.”

“In 2016 Marketing Lancashire also commissioned the Lancashire Visitor Survey, the most comprehensive county-wide survey undertaken in recent years, to help us better understand our visitors, so that using the feedback from the survey and working with tourism partners and stakeholders across the county, we can attract more new visitors as well as ensuring our regulars come back again and again.”

The survey was undertaken by tourism research specialists, Tourism South East, during the main 2016 summer season July-Sept with a smaller sample in October- December. These sample groups included local visitors, people visiting from outside of Lancashire and people who have not visited Lancashire for some years.

Justina Ma, Business Manager at Marketing Lancashire, who led on the visitor survey project said “The survey highlighted the activities that our visitors enjoy in Lancashire including eating out, relaxing and enjoying the countryside and seaside, visiting attractions and shopping.  It also reaffirmed the destination having a very strong reputation for its warmth of welcome and for being family friendly, easy to access and having a superb choice to offer visitors of all ages. This helps us to market more effectively using the key drivers of why our visitors chose to come to Lancashire.

“What we found most encouraging was the very high level of satisfaction amongst our visitors, with 90% rating Lancashire highly for overall enjoyment and over 90% saying they would recommend a visit to Lancashire to others which gives us great confidence for future growth.”

< ENDS>

DOWNLOAD – STEAM 2016 SUMMARY HERE

NOTES TO EDITORS
Data source: Lancashire annual STEAM* economic impact report 2016  (Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor) a model used by many Destinations Management Organisations. It uses locally derived data from a variety of sources such as hotels, attractions, tourist information centres, events and other accommodation to estimate the number of visitors, revenue generated and employment supported by tourism. The model provides the county with a continuous tourism economic impact dataset which reveals trends and helps highlight areas of particular growth or in need of support.

A summary of the latest visitor economy data and key findings of the Lancashire Visitor Survey 2016 can be found on marketinglancashire.com

News

November 2017

October 2017

September 2017

August 2017

July 2017

June 2017

May 2017

April 2017

March 2017

February 2017

January 2017

December 2016

November 2016

October 2016

September 2016

August 2016

July 2016

June 2016

May 2016

April 2016

March 2016

February 2016

January 2016

December 2015

November 2015

October 2015

September 2015

August 2015

July 2015

June 2015

May 2015

April 2015

March 2015

February 2015

January 2015

December 2014

November 2014

October 2014

September 2014

August 2014

July 2014

June 2014

May 2014

April 2014

March 2014

February 2014

January 2014

December 2013

November 2013

October 2013

September 2013

August 2013

July 2013

June 2013

May 2013

April 2013

March 2013

February 2013

January 2013

December 2012

November 2012

October 2012

September 2012

August 2012

July 2012

June 2012

May 2012

April 2012

March 2012

February 2012

January 2012

December 2011

November 2011

October 2011

September 2011

August 2011

July 2011

June 2011

May 2011

April 2011

March 2011

February 2011

January 2011

December 2010

November 2010

October 2010

September 2010

August 2010

July 2010

June 2010

May 2010

April 2010

March 2010

February 2010

January 2010

December 2009

November 2009

October 2009

September 2009

August 2009

July 2009

June 2009

May 2009

April 2009

March 2009

February 2009

December 2008

June 2008

May 2008

Contact Us

For more information, practical advice and support, call Marketing Lancashire on:

01772 426450.

© 2024 Marketing Lancashire