Press releases

West Midlands attractions have reported buoyant visitor numbers. Visit Britain’s annual Visitor Attractions Trend  report found that 60 per cent of the region’s attractions saw numbers either stay level or rise during 2007-08, above the English average of 58 per cent.

Consequently, visitor attraction owners are considered the most optimistic in England, with 55 per cent of West Midlands attractions surveyed positive about business performance during 2009, again the highest level for any English region. The average for the country was 45 per cent.

Meanwhile 71 per cent of the region’s attractions said revenues had stayed the same or even risen during the year, as 85 per cent either maintained or raised marketing spend.

Marketing Birmingham, the city’s destination marketing agency, has been working to bring British holidaymakers to Birmingham this summer with a targeted campaign encouraging people to spend their money closer to home during the economic downturn.

The destination marketing agency has also responded to the surge in visitors coming to Birmingham by launching a new ticket section for www.visitbirmingham.com. The visitor website, which has seen traffic double from 2008 to 2009, has an online shop which lets people book tickets in advance for major attractions. The service has been set up with Ticketline, one of the UK's largest agents with more than 40 years’ experience.

Emma Gray, Marketing Manager at Marketing Birmingham, said that in particular it had been a great couple of years for day trips to the city.

She added: “People are changing the way they spend their money during the downturn, which has proved beneficial for the city when it comes to attracting visitors.  

“It also has a spin-off reward for all those cafes, shops and bars which provide refreshments and entertainment to those spending time here.”

The Visit Britain report came out as other evidence emerged indicating the strength of Birmingham and the West Midlands’ visitor economy.

With the forthcoming bank holiday weekend Virgin Trains confirmed that advance ticket sales into the city were up by a third on this time last year, with 4,350 already sold.

Meanwhile Cadbury World experienced a considerable increase in visitors this summer following the opening of its ‘Advertising Avenue’ feature, and the BBC Walking with Dinosaurs exhibition doubled year on year visitor numbers to the Thinktank science museum to 24,000 during July.  

ENDS
For all press enquires and images call Kurt Jacobs, Marketing Birmingham, on 0121 202 5002 / 07792 285 175 or email him at kurt.jacobs@marketingbirmingham.com.

For further information about the city’s events and attractions and to book activities, click onto www.visitbirmigham.com.