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The visitor economy in Leicester & Leicestershire is up up by 27.1% since 2021 and worth over £2.07 billion
Latest figures show over 30.5 million people visited Leicester and Leicestershire in 2022. This is an increase of 2.38 million on the previous year and up 18.64 million since the pandemic, proving that one of the hardest hit sectors is making a strong recovery.
According to new figures published this summer, the city saw over 9.91 million visitors whilst over 20.6 million visitors came to the county in 2022.
The tourism economy is worth £2.07 billion to the city and county, an increase of £440 million since 2021 and £108 million up on pre-pandemic figure of £1.962 billion. The figures show that the city and county have surpassed Nottingham and Nottinghamshire combined in their respective recoveries with the value of the Leicester and Leicestershire visitor economy up by 27.1% on 2021 figures, compared to 15.6% growth for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
The new figures also show that the number of tourism-related jobs is on the rise, with more than 21,000 people now employed in the sector across the city and the county – an increase of 20% on 2021.
Non-serviced accommodation including self catering, camping and glamping, has surpassed pre-pandemic 2019 figures, showing the strongest recovery in the accommodation market with an economic impact of £95.12m to the region.
The tourism figures for Leicester and Leicestershire are taken from the 2022 Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor (STEAM) survey.
The city and county are promoted nationally and internationally through a series of tourism campaigns delivered by Visit Leicester, the destination management organisation for Leicester and Leicestershire. The campaigns are jointly funded by Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council and the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP). The LLEP provided £185,000 from the Repurposed Growing Places Fund and £105,000 match funding came from the city and county councils.
The positive tourism results have been welcomed by City Mayor Peter Soulsby, County Council Leader Nick Rushton and Phoebe Dawson, CEO of the LLEP.
Leicester City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “This is excellent news. The economic value of tourism in Leicester has grown by 36% since 2021, and investor confidence in tourism is high, as demonstrated by the huge increase in the number of hotels in the city.
“The growth we’ve seen in tourism-related jobs gives a huge boost to our economy, as do the millions of visitors who come here every year and spend their money in local businesses. It shows that our investment in making the city easy to get around, and an attractive place to be has been well worth it. It also reflects the huge efforts of all those working in the tourism and hospitality sector in our city.”
County council leader Nick Rushton said: “We’re naturally delighted to see the strong growth in our tourism economy, and the creation of an extra 2,000 jobs in the county by the sector in 2022 is particularly welcome. With nearly 14,000 now working in the tourism sector it highlights just how important tourism is to the county."
“Leicestershire has an incredible history and story to tell and we’re glad to see this post pandemic resurgence in visitors, which is translating into increased spend in the local economy and new jobs.”
Phoebe Dawson, CEO of the LLEP, said: “We know that Leicester and Leicestershire have much to offer and investment in spreading the word is having an effect on increasing our reach."
“We’re pleased to see LLEP funding achieve the desired outcome of helping Leicester and Leicestershire - one of the areas hardest hit by the Pandemic - to recover.”
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Shouldn't more emphasis be made to make city centre more multifunctional, safer, cleaner, attractive. Other majority run Labour cities have taken the route of joining a combined authority to create greater funding/advocacy/lobbying to improve their cities even more (Andy Burnham, Dan Jarvis, Tracey Braeburn, Kathy Fairclough have all eulogised the benefits of becoming active members of a combined authority apropos the funding available to them); isn't this something Leicester should be leaning towards so that by being at the centre of an East Midlands Combined Authority, Leicester will be in a better position to unleash even greater funds (possibly to help create some of the ideas mentioned above as well as boosting meeting transport, skills and adult education, housing, and net zero goals - possibly opening up the reintroduction of the Ivanhoe Line!!!) . Keir Starmer/Rachel Reeves have both backed the concepts of combined authorities/Metro Mayors/devolution of local authorities - the zeitgeist is heavily tilted towards this direction of travel irrespective of who wins the next general election.
Tracey Braeburn is using some of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority funding pot to cut all bus journeys to £1 in certain areas of Bradford to encourage greater take up and increase footfall/tourist numbers in the city- this is only possible being at the heart of a combined authority.
My feelings are that more can be done to spearhead a more sustained and long-term improvements of the city as well as boost the declining night-time economy in the city, which shouldn't be seen as a separate element to rising tourist patronage - the two are mutually inclusive.
The findings don't stipulate whether the tourist economy is circular - i.e. are the majority of the shops who benefit from the increase multi-global and, as such, won't necessary invest their money locally?
What is also needed is greater opportunities for locally based businesses to benefit - something a combined authority has at its forefront of aims.
Leicester shouldn't necessarily be comparing ourselves with the Nottingham's of this world - we should be comparing ourselves with the Manchester's/Birmingham's of the world!!! This will justify us being in the Premier League of tourist cities in the UK rather than at a parochial level. In the words of the theme song from the greatest TV programme ever: 'Danger Mouse', we need to be the strongest, the best, the most amazing and more!!!!!!!!!!
Speaking of economic boosts, it’s interesting to consider how financial tools like payday loans here https://triceloans.com/sofi-review/ could benefit individuals during such a positive upswing in tourism. For instance, imagine a local entrepreneur who sees this surge in visitors as an opportunity to expand their business—a payday loan could provide quick access to funds to invest in more inventory, marketing, or even hiring extra staff to capitalize on the increased footfall.
Furthermore, for those working in the hospitality and tourism sectors, a payday loan might serve as a helpful resource during potential low periods between the peak seasons. It could bridge financial gaps or assist in covering unexpected expenses, ensuring stability during fluctuations in business.