Key investments in Blackpool are helping expedite growth within the business tourism sector are brought forward in the resort.
The seaside town, which recently came out top in a national travel survey for enjoying the highest year-on-year growth in UK corporate hotel occupancy (+55%) (see notes), has dubbed the month ‘Magic May’ to reflect the significant economic value of a series of key milestones.
These include the official opening of a new 130-room Hampton by Hilton hotel which is located near to the famous Pleasure Beach, the introduction of 36 new direct Virgin train services every week between the resort and London, and the completion of electrification works on the Blackpool to Preston trainline.
In addition, this month will see the completion of foundation works being laid adjacent to the famous Winter Gardens complex. This will allow the beginning of concrete pouring and steelwork assembly that will underpin Blackpool’s new £28m Conference and Exhibition Centre development.
Mandy Tythe-McCallum, VisitBlackpool’s head of business tourism, said: “Recent independent research showed that Blackpool enjoyed the fastest growing business tourism sector of any UK town or city last year with a 55% increase in corporate occupancy. This was testament to the incredible transformation the resort has recently undergone with over £500m of new investment into hotels, transport links and other infrastructure improvements coming forward.
“Over the last few weeks we’ve seen more evidence of how this investment is turning into tangible benefits for event organisers, delegates and visitors.
“We have the newly electrified rail routes into Blackpool North station, meaning the likes of Virgin can introduce the high speed Pendolino services from London for the first time, and we have a fantastic new Hampton by Hilton hotel opening next to the Pleasure Beach which is fully geared up for business travellers and conference delegates.
“Added to that we’ve seen the completion of the foundation preparations on the site of the new conference centre adjacent to the Winter Gardens complex meaning the concrete and steelworks can commence.
“It’s been an extraordinary month, which is why we’ve dubbed it Magic May. It reflects how Blackpool is reinvigorating its business tourism offer while continuing to enjoy its status as one of the UK’s most popular domestic seaside towns.”
