Tourism booming before Covid-19 with visitor economy worth £350m

BUOYANT: Hull Marina

Tourism in Hull was booming before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, latest figures show.

The visitor economy grew to £350m in 2019, an increase of 12 per cent on the previous year.

The city council said the sector had seen “unprecedented growth” over the last ten years when compared to other cities and regions across the country.

In 2012 the value of tourism to the city was £245m.

The figures come from a recent report, commissioned by Visit Hull and East Yorkshire, which showed 6.5 million people visited the city in 2019, compared to 6.2 million in 2018.

International overnight trips to the city also increased by two per cent last year, contributing to the £62.3 million that was spent by overnight visitors – a three per cent rise from 2018.

The city’s tourism sector now employs 7,529 people, an increase of 12 per cent compared to 2018. In 2012, the sector employed 5,297 people.

Councillor Dave Craker, portfolio holder for culture and tourism, said: "The city has seen unprecedented growth in its visitor economy over the past 10 years.

"Our visitor economy brings millions of pounds into the city, benefiting various businesses, especially in the hospitality sector, as well as creating thousands of additional jobs for people in our region.

"Once again we’ve seen our visitor economy continue to grow, building on the incredible success and momentum achieved from UK City of Culture in 2017."

No figures are available for what impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the sector.