Visitor Numbers to North East England Buck National Trend
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
Visitor numbers are still rising to North East England according to new research – with over four million people visiting the region last year.
The 10% increase in 2008 means North East England was the only region outside of London to record a rise in visitor numbers last year, bucking the national trend which saw numbers for the UK drop by 4.65%.
The figures were revealed in the 2008 United Kingdom Tourism Survey (UKTS), a survey commissioned by national tourism body VisitBritain.
The report also showed that people were spending more money in the region; with the average visitor spend up by 7%.
Tourism is a major part of the economy of North East England. It is worth £3.9bn to the local economy, employing 60,775 people.
The UKTS survey also showed that between October and December last year the number of visitors coming to the region went up by almost 30% to just over one million people. This compared to a decrease for the UK as a whole of 11% for the same period. Average spend in North East England for October to December was also up by 18%.
This trend looks to be continuing into 2009 with figures released by regional development agency, One North East, showing that hotel occupancy in March in NewcastleGateshead was at its highest level for five years.
Stacy Hall, Director of Communications & Tourism at One North East said: “The UKTS figures demonstrate the importance of the visitor economy to the region, and once again prove that we are bucking the national trend during this economic downturn.
“Results for the first part of 2009 are encouraging and show that as a region we are taking full advantage of the trend of more people opting for a holiday in the UK.
“In Northumberland over £1/2 million worth of bookings were taken in the first three months of the year, thanks to One North East’s online booking system, which allows tourism businesses to manage their reservations online.
“It is essential that we continue to invest in tourism and promote the region as a fantastic destination to visit, whether for a short or long break.”
For more information on North East England go to www.visitnortheastengland.com