Birmingham enjoyed a swell of tourists last year, attracting an enormous 39 million visitors in 2016, the highest record to date. The boost in tourism fetched £6.5bn, shattering previous revenue records.
The data was revealed by Marketing Birmingham and the tourism research company Global Tourism Solutions.
Numbers increased by 2.5% when compared to 2015, with a large bulk of tourists coming from India, America, China and the Netherlands. These were all areas targeted by the tourism industry, a target which has more than met its mark.
These key target markets brought in the majority of revenue, helping to support over seventy thousand tourist related jobs in the second city. Other Birmingham events thought to have contributed to the surge include the BBC Good Food Show, Grand Designs Live, Shakespeare’s 400th Anniversary, the Birmingham and Solihull Jazz and Blues Festival, the Conservative Party Conference and the renovations on the Edgbaston Stadium.
The leader of Birmingham City Council, John Clancy, said, “Birmingham’s record visitor figures are ample proof of the growing appeal of its vibrant arts and culture scene, superb restaurants and unbeatable retail offer. More than ever before, the public and private sectors are pulling together to attract investment into Birmingham, with the aim of diversifying and building on the region’s existing compelling offer.
The city continues to attract visitors from across the globe, and this in turn is boosting both the Birmingham and regional economy, creating employment opportunities for local people.”
