MORE PEOPLE visited the West Midlands last year than ever before, according to a tourism body.
Sporting, culture, food, retail, hospitality and business events saw 145.4million spending time in the region, say figures revealed by Global Tourism Solutions and the West Midlands Growth Company, the region’s lead for the West Midlands Destination Development Partnership (DDP).
The record-breaking figure represents an increase of more than four million people compared to data from 2022, when the region hosted the Commonwealth Games.
It added the number of jobs supported by tourism in 2023 reached 143,988, the highest figure recorded and most since Covid-19 restrictions were introduced in 2020.
Councillor Wazma Qais, Solihull Council Cabinet Member for Communities and Leisure, said: “It’s great to see Solihull’s visitor economy continue to grow and thrive as more and more people enjoy what our vibrant, culturally diverse borough has to offer. As we set out in our recently published Destination Management Plan, we’re committed to creating memorable experiences for our visitors and residents and supporting businesses in the tourism sector.
“Our 16 Green Flag accredited green spaces, unrivalled transport links and world class exhibition space have put us on the map as a fantastic destination for leisure. We’re proud to contribute to the region’s brilliant tourism offer and we’re excited to welcome more visitors in the future.”
This summer, the West Midlands launches its first visitor pass – a new digital, mobile-friendly ticket that will offer tourists admission to multiple major attractions, museums, activities and gardens across the region. Led by the West Midlands Growth Company – the region’s DDP, which includes all of the region’s Local Authorities – and cloud-based tourism platform Open Pass, it will be available for visitors to use for one, two or three days, with transportation included.
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Tourism is one of the West Midlands’ success stories – and I am committed to ensuring this upward trend continues and that more people put this region on their travel plans. Whether it’s our heritage, cultural or sporting offer, we have so many fascinating tales to tell.
“Tourism offers inclusive growth and development for those who succeed, so I am particularly pleased to see employment linked to this sector hit its highest levels since this research was first carried out.”
The West Midlands’ food and drink, and recreation sub-sectors experienced the fastest growth in 2023, compared with pre-Covid visitor economy figures.
