12.12.19
Council reveals Cheltenham tourism worth over £162m
Cheltenham Borough Council released figures yesterday (Dec 11) revealing that day visitor numbers have grown to 1.9 million over the past year, an increase of 7%.
The region has also seen a 6% increase of staying visitors, now just under 1.1 million, putting their tourism worth at £162m.
In addition, a 14% increase was recorded on the number of nights spent in the town by overseas visitors.
Research was carried out by The South West Research Company, commissioned by Visit Cheltenham, highlighting the successful visitor economy of the borough.
Tracey Crews, director at Cheltenham Borough Council continued:
“It’s great news that more and more people are choosing to visit Cheltenham. The ambition of the council, Marketing Cheltenham and its partners are beginning to pay-off, we’re proud of our vibrant festival offer, the award-winning evening economy, parks and green spaces and range of retail offer that presents both national and independent retailers.
‘’The retail sector though has its challenges both nationally and locally, however understanding the unique characteristics of a place and creating an authentic experience for the people who want to visit it are key to good destination management. Local authorities are at the heart of this with place-support, working together will continue to be critical to ensure our tourism economy thrives.”
Marketing Cheltenham, a division of the Council, was formed in 2017 and has since carried out a destination marketing strategy, including working closely with Cheltenham BID to deliver major events to the area for visitors and residents alike.
David Jackson, Marketing Cheltenham manager, said:
“These figures buck the national trend and are a testament to the huge appeal of Cheltenham and the significant contribution made by all partners to Cheltenham’s offer to benefit the wider economy. The challenge in the future will be to maintain momentum but I’m confident that by continuing to work with partners and by innovating and adapting to the changing retail market, visitor numbers will flourish.”
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