Partner Article

Tourism pays off for region

The value of tourism to the North East of England’s economy has risen by 30% in five years, new figures show.

Visitors now help contribute £3.9bn every year to the local economy, according to regional development agency One NorthEast. The figures show that direct employment in tourism rose to 60,775 last year from 53,069 in 2003.

Tees Valley experienced the biggest rise in visitor numbers, up by 34% since 2003.

Margaret Fay, chairwoman of the One NorthEast board, said: “As these figures show, business and leisure-related visitor spending is extremely important to the region. The visitor economy has shown significant growth over the past five years, and in 2006-07 alone revenue increased by 3% and direct employment in the sector by 5%.

“The region is also benefiting from substantial investment from the private sector, estimated at £105m, which demonstrates confidence in the region.”

Tyne and Wear saw the lowest rise in the mount of visitors at 5%, but the area still attracts 48% of all visitors to the region and 51% of the total regional spend.

Andrew Dixon, chief executive at the NewcastleGateshead Initiative, said: “Who would have imagined ten years ago that we would be seeing this kind of sustained growth in the tourism economy? Our culture and heritage, our business tourism infrastructure, our conferences and our city-break and large day-visitor market have all helped position us at the head of the new wave of tourist destinations in the UK.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .