English Tourism Week, the annual week dedicated to celebrating England’s tourism industry, will take place from March 15 to 24, with businesses, destinations and visitor attractions expected to participate.
English Tourism Week will bring together industry stakeholders to highlight tourism’s economic importance to local communities and to promote the innovation, quality and range of products on offer to boost domestic breaks.
This year’s campaign, co-ordinated by VisitEngland, and titled, ‘Supporting tourism, the heart of our community’ to celebrate people, places, businesses, attractions, experiences and destinations at the heart of England’s tourism sector.
Tourism Minister Julia Lopez said: “This week we celebrate the incredible job our tourism industry does by showcasing England to the world – from our breathtaking landscapes and coastline to the treasure trove of heritage, culture and cuisine to be found in our towns, villages and cities.
“Tourism adds billions of pounds to the economy while supporting millions of jobs, and we are helping the sector grow from strength to strength through our Tourism Recovery Plan. But we can all play our part, which is why I encourage everyone – throughout English Tourism Week and beyond – to explore all that our fantastic country has to offer.”
VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said: “With spring upon us and the Easter break just ahead, it is timely to shine the spotlight on our outstanding tourism offer and on an industry that supports millions of jobs and local economies right across England.
“English Tourism Week kick starts the season, highlighting the incredible destinations on our doorstep. From enjoying contemporary culture in our vibrant cities to our stunning coastal and seaside destinations, from our heritage, countryside and adventure tourism to our outstanding B&Bs and self-catering accommodation, consistently rated as some of the best in the world.
“I encourage everyone to get involved and support our amazing industry this English Tourism Week.”
In the lead-up to English Tourism Week and throughout, VisitEngland is also encouraging people to show support for English tourism on social media using #EnglishTourismWeek24.
VisitEngland’s Tourism Superstar 2024 competition will also conclude during the week with voting open until midnight of March 24, and with the winner announced on the conclusion of the week.
VisitEngland, Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) and destinations are also asking MPs, local authorities, the UK Government and other stakeholders to get involved including visiting local businesses and attractions during the week.
Tourism is one of England’s largest and most valuable industries, supporting hundreds of thousands of small-to-medium sized businesses, employing 2.6 million people and, in 2022, generating £66 billion for the economy in domestic visitor spending, a statement said.
