Latest figures on Staffordshire’s tourism economy published today prove that the county remains a popular destination amongst visitors.
2015 saw the county’s busiest year with over 24 million people, from home and abroad, enjoyed day or overnight trips to Staffordshire. This helped generate over £1.2 billion in direct spend on accommodation, entertainment, travel, shopping and food & drink. In addition to this, the tourism sector now supports almost 30,000 jobs in the county and generates an additional £500million of associated spend in the sector.
Mark Winnington, Cabinet Member for the Economy at Staffordshire County Council and Deputy Chair of Destination Staffordshire said:
“Staffordshire is a wonderful county to visit with a rich tapestry of visitor attractions. We have something for everyone, from world-class theme parks to acres of magnificent countryside, and everything in between.
“Tourism is really booming here in the county and plays an important role in our overall economy. Our local tourism businesses continue to do a great job, attracting more and more visitors, bringing in over £100m a month for the local economy and sustaining tens of thousands of jobs.”
Staffordshire is home to the Alton Towers Resort, one of the country’s leading theme parks, alongside Drayton Manor Park in Tamworth.
The county is also home to the National Memorial Arboretum, now a world-class centre for remembrance following a £16m redevelopment which is due to open this week.
Other national attractions include the F.A. National Football Centre at St George’s Park, the National Brewery Centre in Burton, the Peak District National Park and the National Forest.
Shugborough Hall, near Stafford, is the country’s only working historic estate, while the county’s extensive canal network is amongst the largest in the country.
Cannock Chase has over 1,000 hectors of majestic countryside and is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The Trentham Estate is now the UK’s 4th largest paid-for garden attraction and the award-winning adjacent Monkey Forest is the only place in Britain where visitors can walk through the enclosure where the monkeys roam freely.
Last year World of Wedgwood was launched, a major £34m redevelopment at the Wedgwood Factory in Barlaston, which created a brand new visitor centre integrated with the Wedgwood Museum, giving people even more reasons to visit Staffordshire.
The tourism industry in the county has been enjoying record growth in recent years and now makes a significant contribution to the local economy. Since 2008, the overall sector spend has grown by more than 36%, while overnight stays have grown by almost 37%, day trips by 31%, and employment by 28%.
[box type=”info” align=”aligncenter” ]To see what Staffordshire has to offer visit www.enjoystaffordshire.com.[/box]
