Tourism boost for Cheshire East

 

Cheshire East is continuing to attract more visitors, with the visitor economy now worth £608m to the local area.

The latest data, which relates to 2011, shows that visitor numbers increased to nearly 12 million, and that tourists are spending five per cent more than the year before.

Cheshire East is following the UK trend of more people making day trips, with overnight trips not performing as strongly.

It is also important to note that employment within the tourism sector has risen by three per cent. (Total UK employment increased by 1.8 per cent compared to a year ago).

The data was compiled using the Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor (STEAM). This is a nationally-recognised benchmark that uses a range of sources including hotel occupancy rates, room rates, surveys and footfall figures for tourist attractions and visitor information centres.

Councillor Jamie Macrae, Cabinet member with responsibility for prosperity and economic regeneration, said: “These figures are excellent news and they show that the importance the Council has placed on the visitor economy is starting to pay dividends.

“These are tough times for the industry, which is under pressure from the recession, bank lending and poor weather – issues that have been particularly acute during 2012.

“This is where Cheshire East’s Visitor Economy Strategy shows its worth, as we work in partnership with Marketing Cheshire and tourism businesses to encourage more people to visit the Borough.

“With beautiful countryside, charming market towns and a rich heritage, Cheshire East has a lot to offer tourists and we will continue in our efforts to market the Borough as a visitor destination.”

Cheshire East also had several winners at the recent Marketing Cheshire Annual Awards 2012.

The winning businesses are below:

• Self catering holiday of the year – Combermere Abbey Cottages;
• Visitor attraction of the year – Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre;
• Bed and breakfast accommodation of the year – The Bear’s Paw, Sandbach;
• Tourism pub of the year – The Yew Tree Inn, Bunbury;
• Team of the year – the volunteers at Anson Engine Museum, Poynton;
• Marketing initiative of the year – The Mere Golf Resort and Spa; and
• Hotel of the year – Peckforton Castle.