Thursday, July 18, 2024 In 2023, the West Midlands saw its highest number of visitors ever, with 145.4 million people exploring the region’s cultural, culinary, retail, hospitality, sporting, and business events. This record-setting attendance marks a 3% increase, with over four million more visitors than in 2022, the year the Commonwealth Games were held.
As a result, the visitor economy in the West Midlands has grown to £16.3 billion, a £2.2 billion increase (15%) from the previous year.
Tourism-supported employment also reached a peak in 2023, with 143,988 jobs, the most since the onset of Covid-19 restrictions in 2020. This data was gathered by Global Tourism Solutions and the West Midlands Growth Company, acting as the regional leader for the West Midlands Destination Development Partnership (DDP). Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA Chair, said: “The West Midlands is a fantastic, welcoming destination, so it is heartening that increasing numbers of visitors are choosing to discover and enjoy all of the region’s outstanding attributes.
“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 se.