The West Midlands has welcomed 141.2m visitors in 2022, according to the latest data from the West Midlands Growth Company and Global Tourism Solutions.
The figures represent a 38% increase on tourist numbers in 2021, and a 5% rise compared to 2019 data, which was the last research to be carried out before the tourist industry was impacted by the global pandemic.
With the UK Government’s aim to recover both domestic and inbound visitor numbers to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2023, the West Midlands is recovering 12 months ahead of schedule.
Additional key findings
The research also shows that spending by visitors to the West Midlands in 2022 rose to £14.1bn, up by £4bn (39%) from 2021 and £1bn (7%) more than pre-Covid figures in 2019. Furthermore, tourists spent most on the West Midlands’ retail (41%), food and drink (21%) and recreational (15%) offer, when visiting the region.
Events that encouraged visitors to the region included: The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games; the Birmingham 2022 Festival (March – September); the British Art Show 9 in Wolverhampton (January – April); Coventry UK City of Culture (until May); the Sandwell & Birmingham Mela (August) and the Rugby League World Cup in Coventry (October).
Neil Rami (pictured), chief executive of the West Midlands Growth Company, said: “The past 12 months have reinforced the value of attracting and hosting major international sporting events and festivals. Not only do they significantly boost the West Midlands’ visitor economy, but they also leave a positive, lasting impression with tourists.
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, added: “After what no one could dispute has been a challenging time for the world’s tourism industry, it’s great news to see that our region has defied national predictions to bounce back more rapidly than expected.
“The relative strength and resilience of our tourism sector is why I remain hopeful that we can get more local people into tourism related jobs in the months and years ahead – something I know is a priority for our regional Tourism & Hospitality Advisory Board.”
