You are here: Home > Visitor Information > Latest News > Businesses urged to #ETW to showcase Plymouth during English Tourism Week
Businesses urged to #ETW to showcase Plymouth during English Tourism Week
23rd March 2018
Plymouth tourism businesses are being urged to tweet like mad this weekend and to share the very best of the city’s visitor offer as part of English Tourism week. The national week long celebration of the country’s tourism and hospitality sector run by Visit England was launched in London on Monday with a conference hosted by the Tourism Alliance and attended by Plymouth city representatives. Tourism is worth over £333 million to the local economy and supports 7,649 jobs which is 7% of employment.
Executive Director of Destination Plymouth, Amanda Lumley said; “This is the one week of the year when the spotlight is on tourism and hospitality businesses nationally and we get the opportunity to showcase the fantastic contribution our businesses give to the local community and its economy. Over the past eight years since the city developed its tourism strategy in 2010 we have seen significant growth in visitor numbers (24.9%) and spend (17.5%)and with Mayflower 400 just over 18 months away we have some exciting projects in the pipeline and much more to look forward to!”
During the week Plymouth’s tourism businesses have been actively sharing promotions to encourage local residents to visit and the city’s MP’s have been invited to visit key locations across the city to meet businesses face to face and learn more about how the sector works.
As part of English Tourism Week a business breakfast was hosted this morning by Luke Pollard MP at the Boathouse Café on the Barbican. Attended by local business community representatives including Plymouth Waterfront Partnership, Plymouth City Centre Company and Association of Barbican Traders the group discussed local, regional and national challenges to the city including rail and digital connectivity, funding and business rates.
Afterwards Luke was given a hard hat tour by Paul Brookes, CEO of the city’s £37 million attraction, gallery and museum and Mayflower 400 legacy project ‘The Box’ which is currently under construction. Paul said; “It was a real pleasure to be able to show our local M.P. around the site and to paint a picture of the different galleries and education spaces that are being created. The Box will be over three times the size of the previous City Museum and Art Gallery, which was enjoyed by the public for 116 years. The Box is looking to establish a similar legacy as the major flagship project for the Mayflower 400 commemorations and a significant addition to the tourism offering in the city.”