Birmingham welcomes 41.8 million visitors last year

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

As per the recent figures released by the West Midlands Growth Company and research body Global Tourism Solutions (GTS), Birmingham welcomed 41.8 million visitors last year.

 
The amount of money they spent in the area hit £7.1 billion – marking an increase of more than 9% in the space of a year.

 
Average hotel occupancy was at 75 per cent, matching the previous record set in 2016, whilst RevPAR (revenue per available room) was £51 in value, the highest figure ever recorded.

 
The city welcomed the maximum number of tourists during September, a month that witnessed major events such as the Natwest T20 Finals Day at Edgbaston Stadium and Birmingham’s largest outdoor festival, the Birmingham Weekender.

 
The region’s literary heritage was celebrated, as 2017 marked the 80th anniversary of JRR Tolkien’s classic fantasy novel The Hobbit.

 
The announcement of the latest figures coincides with a visit to the region from the country’s Tourism Minister Michael Ellis. The visit marks the arrival of a prominent new tourism project to the area – England’s Waterways, supported by the Discover England Fund.

 
Mr. Ellis said, “Birmingham is one the UK’s leading destinations, with excellent attractions, nightlife and hospitality. Following the hugely successful Commonwealth Games handover and the arrival of Dippy the Diplodocus, this positive tourism trend looks set to continue well into the future. The wider Midlands region boasts a charming canal network surrounded by vibrant green spaces and unique heritage attractions. We are pleased to be helping to attract even more people to experience these picturesque waterways through our Discover England Fund.”

 
Over the last 10 years, Birmingham has attracted an increasing number of overnight visitors. The total number of staying visitors has increased by a third (1.2 million) since 2008. The most number of visitors came from include Ireland, Germany and the US.

 
Neil Snowball, chief executive of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, said: “The biggest sporting and cultural events come to Birmingham because of the outstanding experience that is provided by the city stakeholders working together in partnership. The warm welcome and logistical ease is something that is reported time and again by visitors to Edgbaston. Last year, the stadium hosted five games in the ICC Champions Trophy, England’s first ever Day/Night Investec Test match and NatWest T20 Blast Finals Day, which was predicted to have generated around £45 million towards the local economy.

We’re thrilled that Edgbaston could play such a major role in Birmingham’s leisure offering last year.”

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