NEARLY £800million was spent by visitors in Worcestershire in 2021 according to new data.

The Visit Worcestershire data shows the economic impact of tourism within the county in 2021. 

There was a total of £747,103,892 spent in 2021 by visitors to the local economy in Worcestershire.

The data also revealed 13,155,000 day trips to Worcestershire and 14,038,000 visitors to the county in total.

In 2021, just over 14 million people visited the county including 883,000 overnight stays.

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On average overnight visitors are spending around 3 nights in the county with the majority using paid-for accommodation compared to stopping with friends or relatives.

According to Visit Worcestershire, the county has seen continued recovery growth since the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced the industry to shut down and adjust business operations over the past two years.

Cllr Marc Bayliss, cabinet member for economy, infrastructure and skills at Worcestershire County Council, said: “Tourism is a huge asset to the Worcestershire economy demonstrating real financial value.

"The sector has been one of the hardest hit after the pandemic so therefore it’s great to see the work Visit Worcestershire is doing to promote our beautiful county and work with businesses on the ground to make Worcestershire an attractive visitor destination.”

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Lorna Robinson, Visit Worcestershire DMO manager, said: “We are pleased to see good economic growth after the pandemic which reflects the hard work and resilience of our Worcestershire businesses.

"The data will help shape our future plans as an organisation to make the county accessible for all visitors and help to increase tourism value.”

After consultation with stakeholders and Worcestershire businesses, Visit Worcestershire is producing a tourism growth plan to shape the future of the sector over the next five to 10 years.

Overall the value of tourism in Worcestershire is around 25 per cent down compared to pre-pandemic levels, but with the easing of restrictions, Visit Worcestershire believes the figures for 2022 will offer a more clear forecast after a more consistent year of trading for businesses.