Increase in county visitor numbers set for further boost with upcoming major business development, focus event told

Increasing Staffordshire visitor numbers are set to be boosted further with significant upcoming business developments – with need for more hotel bedspaces – a focus event has been told.

Invest Staffordshire is the county council’s inward investment service and held a joint focus event with InsiderMedia yesterday on Staffordshire’s Economic Futures. Over 200 business delegates attended the event at Keele University which featured an expert panel of sector leaders from the county.

Recently published figures show that the visitor economy in Staffordshire is now valued at £2.7 bn to the local economy – a 30 per cent increase on pre-pandemic levels. Of 37 million visits to Staffordshire in 2024, 4m stayed overnight, contributing to 31 per cent of overall visitor spend. Sector leaders say there is high demand for hotel accommodation in the county and therefore a need for more bedspaces. The sector employs just under 26,000 people.

With a county council-led investment drive on the A50/500 corridor and major developments such as the West Midlands Interchange taking place, an increase in accommodation availability linked to business activity will be vital. More bedspace is also needed to support the event and leisure hospitality market.

Now Invest Staffordshire will be working with the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Visitor Economy Partnership as it formulates an accommodation acceleration plan to support local economic growth through overnight stays.

In addition to increased opportunities to maximise Staffordshire’s visitor economy, the event also focused on other key sectors – advanced manufacturing and property/development. This follows the first occupier being announced at the West Midlands Interchange (WMI), completion of plots at Chatterley Park in Newcastle and a near full-occupied i54 South Staffordshire. Work on a £4million Carlsberg Britvic depot at the WMI site at Four Ashes in South Staffordshire began last month. The new depot will feature state-of-the-art facilities and support the company’s growing logistics needs.

Martin Murray, Staffordshire County Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for economy and skills, opened the event. He said:

It’s extremely positive news that visitor numbers in Staffordshire are increasing thanks to our fantastic attractions offer but also due to growing need for accommodation for business stays. We know that good quality accommodation is important for a buoyant visitor economy and while we already have fantastic choices for accommodation, this needs to be consistent across the county and at strategic geographical locations.

It is also a key factor in supporting our nighttime economy, and we want to ensure even more people can enjoy Staffordshire places whilst providing increased job opportunities.

The event has enabled us to reflect on the huge potential in Staffordshire to rapidly increase major business investment across our main sectors – building on our strong foundations and reputation.

This is the beating heart on the country with excellent connectivity, global brand leaders to be proud of and with thriving SMEs which create and sustain thousands of jobs.”