Cheshire East visitor economy to exceed £1bn and 14.6k jobs under new strategy

Cheshire East Council has outlined a new strategy to drive the area’s visitor economy past the £1bn mark over the next five years.

The authority is hoping to see the value of tourism in the borough increase by more than £200m to £1.08bn between now and 2020.

As part of the plan, the council intends to grow the number of jobs in the sector to 14,648, an increase of almost 3,800. According to Cheshire East, the target is consistent with the 7% growth reported in the sector.

The council’s newly appointed leader, Cllr Rachel Bailey, said: “We are committed to enhancing and growing our visitor economy for the benefit of all our residents.

“We are very fortunate to have a strong variety in our visitor offer, with outstanding award-winning attractions, beautiful countryside and a rich heritage and culture, all of which can be easily accessed via two international airports and excellent road and rail links.”

Between 2009 and 2015, Cheshire East’s visitor economy saw growth of 48%, rising from £543m to £807m.

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