Staffordshire celebrates World Tourism Day with visitor number boost

The county council will also highlight its support for a joint push to expand hotel accommodation across Staffordshire. World Tourism Day takes place this Saturday 27 September.

Staffordshire’s offer continues to grow, with major attractions such as Alton Towers Resort and Drayton Manor Resort drawing millions each year. Cultural and heritage places to visit like the National Memorial Arboretum, Lichfield Cathedral, and the Peak District National Park add depth and diversity to the county’s appeal.

Recently published figures show that the visitor economy in Staffordshire is now valued at £2.7 billion – a 30 per cent increase on pre-pandemic levels. In 2024, the county welcomed 37 million visits, with four million overnight stays contributing to 31 per cent of overall visitor spend. The sector now supports over 26,000 jobs, making it a vital driver of local economic growth.

Despite this success, sector leaders say that Staffordshire faces a shortfall of between 700 to 1,000 hotel beds, particularly in strategic locations such as the A50/A500 corridor, urban centres, and near key business hubs. While the county offers a wide range of accommodation, serviced hotel provision remains limited, and demand is outstripping supply.

Staffordshire County Council’s inward investment service Invest Staffordshire is now working with the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) to develop an accommodation acceleration plan. This aims to support future investment in hotel infrastructure, enabling more overnight stays and boosting the county’s night-time economy, business tourism, and job creation.

Staffordshire County Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for economy and skills Martin Murray said:

World Tourism Day gives us an opportunity to again celebrate why Staffordshire is such a great place to visit. We attract millions of visitors each year from across the UK and beyond.

As the beating heart of the country we have connectivity, culture and heritage and leading attractions as our key strengths. And with visitor numbers ever increasing and above pre-pandemic levels, we’re building on that momentum.

We must now work with partners to increase hotel space for growing visitor needs. Good quality accommodation is important for a buoyant visitor economy. It’s also a key factor in supporting our night-time economy, and we want to ensure even more people can enjoy Staffordshire places whilst providing increased job opportunities.”

People can view a video of Martin highlighting Staffordshire’s tourism strengths here.

They can find out more by visiting www.visitstaffordshire.co.uk