Tourism numbers on the increase in Nottinghamshire

Tourism in Nottinghamshire is on the increase, according to newly released research on the state of the local visitor economy in 2013.

The sector is going from strength to strength, with the number of jobs, the number of visitors and the value of tourism all rising for the year 2013, when compared to the same figures from recent years.

The STEAM research report is used by the tourism industry in the UK to put into economic terms the impact of the tourism sector. The 2013 STEAM report for Nottinghamshire shows that the visitor economy has seen an 8% increase to £1.556bn in 2013, compared to £1.441bn in 2011.

The number of visitors to the county in 2013 reached more than 33 million in 2013, up by 270,000 on visitor numbers in 2011. The number of full time equivalent jobs in the county has also increased by 4.21% in 2013, to 21,616.

Experience Nottinghamshire, the official destination management organisation for Nottinghamshire, attributes the rise in tourism to strong local partnerships, collaborative working and the quality of the tourism offer.

“Over the last few years, we’ve been working closely with VisitEngland and our partners and stakeholders to raise the profile of Nottinghamshire as a destination,” said Jennifer Spencer, Chief Executive, Experience Nottinghamshire.

“Our mission has always been to encourage more visitors, to visit more often, stay longer and spend more, and it is heartening to see the work happening across the county is starting to pay off.”

Major events such as the Ashes in 2013 contributed to the rise in numbers, and the appeal of Nottinghamshire as a visitor destination was highlighted through Experience Nottinghamshire’s national media campaign thanks to funding from VisitEngland.

Justin Tose, Commercial Director at Trent Bridge, said: “We worked closely with Experience Nottinghamshire on maximising the impact of the Investec Ashes in 2013 to ensure as many local attractions and businesses benefited. This work helped our patrons make the most of their visit to Nottinghamshire, and inspired them to get out and do more while here. It’s great to see this kind of partnership work, creating a joined up approach and positive results across the whole region.”

With the average spend of each visitor increasing to £46.95, the report suggests tourists are doing more while here.

“It’s not just about the quantity of visitors, but also the quality of the visitors we are attracting,” said Jennifer Spencer.

“We work with around 450 local tourism businesses through our membership scheme, and this joined-up approach helps to encourage visitors to stay overnight and do more while they’re here, resulting in more money for the local economy.”

Nottinghamshire’s increase in overnight visitors is in contrast to the national trend, with national overnight stays down by  -2.42%/.

David Horne, Chairman, Experience Nottinghamshire Board and Managing Director, East Midlands Trains said:  “Tourism is one of the UK’s largest industries and a growth sector.  The figures revealed by the latest STEAM report show there has been a significant improvement in tourism performance across Nottinghamshire. 

 “The STEAM report helps to demonstrate the importance of the visitor economy in helping to deliver local jobs and supporting local businesses and we would like to thank D2N2, the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), for helping to provide funding for the report.”