Visit West has announced that the value of tourism across Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset reached a record £2.7 billion in 2024. The latest tourism research also found that the visitor economy generated £3.43 billion in turnover and supported 43,000 jobs across the region.
Whilst the number of trips to the region was down 1% on 2023, spend was up 6% with international visitors in particular staying more nights and spending more (up 9% on 2023) – a result of Visit West’s partnerships with VisitBritain and overseas tour operators to encourage longer stays.
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said, “The West is best – visitors and residents alike know how special our part of the world is. With people spending more while they’re visiting, tourism is supporting tens of thousands of jobs for local people and businesses with the support of Visit West. The sector is now worth a record £2.7 billion to the West’s economy, and a key industry in our new Growth Strategy for the coming decade.”
Earlier this month, Visit West attended the world’s largest travel trade convention, World Travel Market. The team held meetings with airlines, airports and rail operators as well as tour operators, DMCs and media across three days. The Tourism Minster, Stephanie Peacock MP was welcomed to the Bath & Bristol stand along with Lady Victoria Borwick, Chair of VisitEngland.
Additional events attended by Visit West over the three days included a reception at St James Palace for UK tourism leaders, a Chinese Tourism Leaders’ dinner, China Night at WTM, a reception for international tourism ministers with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, a UK Government and UN Tourism World Travel Market Reception 2025 and the Lonely Planet Best in Travel showcase at the National Portrait Gallery to celebrate Bristol being named one of the best places to visit in 2026 due to its street art culture.
This month, the team will deliver two media showcase events to help promote festive offers from businesses across the region, as well as participating in two final industry events in 2025; a sales mission for inbound operators in China, Japan and South Korea, and the promotion of the region as a destination for business events at IBTM in Barcelona, one of the world’s key events for this market.
To find out more about the region head to www.visitwest.co.uk.
