Famous for its iconic National Exhibition Centre (NEC) and Resorts World Campus, the West Midlands borough of Solihull – recognised by the GDS Movement as a ‘Most Improved Destination’ finalist – is now driving increased visitor numbers thanks to a masterplan, with esports and gaming a big part of the story.
Fast growing visitor economy
Solihull has a reputation as one of the West Midlands’ more affluent boroughs and its visitor economy is more than keeping up with the neighbours and worth a record £1.27bn, according to the latest full year report (2023) from the West Midlands Growth Company and independent tourism research body Global Tourism Solutions. And that figure is growing fast, up 14.8% from the previous year.
It is not all about spend, of course: Solihull attracted more than six million visitors in 2023, an increase of over 200,000 on the 2022 figure. Such positivity creates employment and the number of full-time equivalent jobs supported by direct and indirect tourism activities rose accordingly, by 9% over that period.
The record growth figures followed the publication last year of Solihull Council’s Destination Management Plan, a five-year strategy up to 2029, designed to promote the borough as a business tourism destination. The project is a team approach, involving Visit Solihull, Solihull BID, the NEC Group and Resorts World among the stakeholders.
The plan identifies four key priorities:
- Improving how the borough is packaged
- Retaining local spend
- Improving the visitor experience
- Supporting businesses in the tourism sector
Cllr Karen Grinsell, Deputy Leader of Solihull Council says:
“We all know that Solihull is a fantastic place to live, work and spend leisure time. The key vision of our tourism strategy is to ensure that we promote Solihull’s tourism offer on a local, national and even an international scale so that everyone else knows, too.”
Esports and gaming
The NEC is obviously a grand old event stage (more on it later), but is also reinventing its client base and opening to start-ups and innovation. ESL One Birmingham 2024 – a major offline games tournament –took place at The NEC last April and was a great success, showcasing Solihull as a new home for the future of esports entertainment (watch on the Council’s YouTube channel: Visit Solihull – Bringing esports to Solihull (youtube.com)ESL One Birmingham 2024 )
Councillor Wazma Qais, Cabinet Member for Communities and Leisure, has said exciting new events like ESL One Birmingham 2024 are helping to put Solihull on the map.
“International esports tournaments like this represent a rapidly growing sector and one which is encouraging a younger demographic of visitor while also creating a real buzz,” the Councillor said.
Solihull continues to fly the esports banner high in 2025 with a new major event taking place 27-30 March 2025 at the NEC’s bp pulse LIVE.
The 2025 Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) Season will host its first arena event of the year in Solihull, with thousands of fans expected to attend. A business esports summit (WM Esports Unwrapped) is also planned for the event weekend.
Councillor Ian Courts, Leader of Solihull Council and Lead Member for Business and the Economy comments: “Esports is fast becoming an industry of huge economic significance. We are absolutely thrilled to welcome the RLCS Major 1 Birmingham to our borough, in partnership with the British Esports Federation and BLAST.
“It is expected to attract thousands of fans from across the world to the arena, with millions more watching the global broadcast online.
“The event will promote Solihull, the West Midlands and the NEC Campus as a national and international hub for gaming and esports championships.”
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the UK Government is supporting the event with funding from the Commonwealth Games Legacy Fund.
The video game market is worth an estimated $282bn and there are approximately three billion active gamers worldwide. Esports is growing at a rate of 13.8% a year, and the Solihull event will build on the UK’s success in the field which has seen it ranked fifth in the world for esports revenue generation.
Sustainable Solihull
Solihull has been recognised for its environmental work and was a finalist in the ‘Most Improved Destination Award’, in the 2024 GDS-Awards.
Guy Bigwood, CEO of the GDS (Global Destination Sustainability)-Movement, noted that for 2024 the organisation was “especially excited” to see new destinations like Solihull making this shortlist.
“Their exceptional projects are a testament to the growing, global commitment to destination sustainability and stewardship, offering fresh perspectives and inspiring examples for others to follow, borrow, and build on,” he said.
The main attraction
The event venue jewel in the Solihull crown is the UK’s largest event space and home to many favourite trade shows and conferences that have shaped society and trade.
Opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1976, The NEC, and now with its Resorts World campus, has over 40 years’ experience hosting the UK’s best events (including historic exhibitions such as Crufts and the British International Motor Show) from its central location at heart of the country.
The project has more than delivered and ensured the region became the capital of the UK events industry, driving forward a sector that was to overtake the region’s famed car industry in economic importance.
Today, with 32 versatile conference suites, the NEC has 20 interconnected halls covering 190,000sqm.
The accessibility is not only national, with the site sitting near the M6 motorway, but also offers 16,500 parking spaces spread around the site, with a local shuttle bus services operating to and from the car parks.
Since the Blackstone group acquired NEC Group in October 2018, paying around £800m, a new era of private equity investment began and the site has blossomed to include some of the UK’s best restaurants, hotels, leisure experiences and meeting spaces all on the Solihull doorstep.
Part of the Resorts World complex, bp pulse LIVE arena is regularly home to some of the UK’s best live music, comedy and entertainment acts.
Leisure visitors return with their ‘business hats’ on in increasing numbers.
For those attending multi-day events or late night shows, there are a wealth of options across The NEC if you need a place to lay your head. The Hilton Metropole and Crowne Plaza hotels are a short walk from the event arenas, as is the luxury 4-star Genting Hotel along with its Santai Spa.
There is even a Resorts World Casino and an eleven-screen Cineworld at Resorts World.
The NEC, in its last full-year report (for 2023), revealed its highest-ever number of new events in a calendar year. Some of those new shows included exhibitions such as The National Equine Show, The National Halal Food Festival and Smart Factory Expo, as well as special events and long-stay content such as Secret Cinema presents GREASE: The Live Experience, The FRIENDS™ Experience and Gravity Show.
As well as the vast NEC exhibition halls, the Vox Conference Centre at Resorts World offers a cutting-edge specialist conference suite able to wow up to 900 delegates in its purpose-built spaces.
In total, the NEC welcomes around 2.3m visitors and over 45,000 exhibiting companies to more than 500 events every year. Other big name shows on the roster include BBC Good Food Show, Spring Fair (which celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2025), and The National Motorhome and Caravan Show.
Another giant of a conference venue in the vicinity is the National Conference Centre at the National Motorcycle Museum, just off the M42 at J6. This massive venue has 23,225sqm of space for conference and meetings, including outdoor space. The banqueting rooms are some of the largest suites in the Midlands. The site is five minutes from Birmingham International rail station and airport and offers 1,000 free parking spaces on site.
The Hilton Birmingham Metropole at the NEC is another conference ‘grandee’ of a venue with 795 rooms and suites. As the largest hotel outside of London and NEC’s biggest and longest serving convention hotel, there are 5,574sqm of event space and 21 meeting rooms to choose from. The three largest conference suites can hold, respectively, 2,000, 1,600 and 800 delegates theatre style.
The hotel sits on the edge of Pendigo Lake and guests can take advantage of three restaurants, a health club and 24-hour fitness centre.
Solihull does boutique and unique venues as well as the vast halls and arenas. In Shirley babble is a vibrant, modern facility designed to bring research, meetings and training sessions alive. This smaller space is a perfect environment for creative thinking and freedom of expression.
Cranmore Park: Close to Birmingham International Airport is a venue offering opportunities for creating fabulous events. With 3,426sqm of exhibition space, 12 meeting and breakout spaces and able to hold up to 750 delegates, the property features two restaurants and a SkyLounge.
Two Crowne Plazas. One at The NEC can host conferencing for up to 200 delegates with 11 meeting rooms. While the Crowne Plaza Solihull has 4,627sqm of event space and its largest space can also host 200.
Regus Birmingham NEC/Airport
This distinctive Pagoda-style building provides a memorable setting for your business in Arlington’s sought after Business Park.
Work productively in a spacious, light-flooded environment where easy access to the M40, Birmingham International rail station and Birmingham Airport keeps delegates well-connected for the UK and beyond. With Resorts World and the NEC just minutes away, it’s easy to wind down or entertain clients.
voco® St. John’s Solihull, an IHG hotel, offers a central location ideal for conferences, events and weddings. With 201 guest rooms and suites, the hotel also hosts ceremonies, conferences and training sessions. There is an onsite meeting planner and the Park suite can seat up to 800 delegates.
The Barn at Berryfields is a family run hospitality business based in the countryside in Meriden. Its restaurant has two AA Rosettes and there is an artisan bakery, café and butchery, as well as The Loft, a private function room.
Newlands Bishop Farm is popular for CSR days and is part of the charity Family Care Trust. The farm supports people with mental health conditions. Companies often bring staff to take part in some volunteering. Activities can include log splitting, weeding, painting, pruning hedges, and sanding furniture and there are opportunities to take part in larger projects such as developing walk ways, fencing and creating new garden areas.
Hogarths is an upscale hotel in Solihull, a 15-minute drive from the NEC. The hotel has 49 rooms and conference and meetings space.
Hampton Manor styles itself as a foodie estate. A 45-acre estate and hotel with 24 bedrooms. Set around a walled garden, there are two award-winning restaurants (one Michelin-starred) a, cookery school and artisan bakery. Wine tastings and other activities are available.
Solihull College & University Centre boasts specialist training and conference facilities and its larger meeting rooms are fully equipped with a range of audiovisual equipment including a SMARTboard interactive whiteboard. The largest suite can hold 100 delegates theatre style. It also offers a range of catering options to suit all budgets.
And, if you want to meet while you shop, John Lewis, anchored in Solihull town centre’s famous Touchwood Shopping Centre, also has a small events room available for hire.
To find out more about what’s on across Solihull, go to the Visit Solihull website: https://visitsolihull.co.uk/
