Notts: Visitor numbers across the county are on the rise

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 Notts shows that the visitor economy has seen an 8 per cent increase to £1.556 billion in 2013, compared to £1.441 billion 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 per cent in 2013, to 21,616.

Experience Nottinghamshire, the official destination management organisation for Notts, 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 Notts as a destination,” said Jennifer Spencer, chief executive at 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 England v Australia Ashes cricket in 2013 contributed to the rise in numbers, and the appeal of Notts as a visitor destination was highlighted through Experience Nottinghamshire’s national media campaign thanks to funding from VisitEngland.

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

Notts increase in overnight visitors is in contrast to the national trend, with national overnight stays down by 2.42 per cent.

David Horne, chairman of Experience Nottinghamshire board and managing director at 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 Notts.”