Holidaymakers: 'I think there's no value for money in Blackpool anymore, It is cheaper to go abroad'

Blackpool prides itself on being a top UK staycation destination.

But 2024 has been a difficut year the resort’s hoteliers and B&B owners who have faced a “perfect storm” of challenges.

The town’s hoteliers group said one issue they had seen repeatedly was holidaymakers cancelling stays because of hospital appointments because people are so concerned how long it would take to reschedule.

Regular visitor to the resort Kaye Ryan said: “The weather this year won't have helped. I often spontaneously go for a weekend if it's hot and that didn't happen. Also the trains are pathetic - it took 3 hours due to cancellations to get there in August and it's only 60 miles away.”

Ian White, a director of hoteliers group StayBlackpool, told a meeting of the full council issues including the cost of living crisis, uncertainty due to the general election and sporting events such as the European Football Championships and the Olympics impacted trade.

He also warned many businesses were struggling, with challenges that included poor weather during the summer, high interest rates and even fines handed out to parents for taking children out of school during term time were “no doubt having an impact.”

This comes as data was published by independent think tanks Centre for Cities, which revealed that Blackpool ranked highest in the country for spending by overnight visitors. Blackpool ranks the highest in proportion to its size with 12.8 per cent of spending coming from overnight visitors. Whereas London was found to be the highest for quantity of spending by overnight visitors.

Ian White said: “Guests used to change the date of their appointment or operation if it fell within their holiday dates. Now they cancel or re-arrange the holiday, not the appointment, as they have been waiting so long to be seen.”

Mandy Von Steele said: “We love Blackpool. We visit a few times a year if we can, we stay in brilliant accommodation, but it has gone very expensive. If it weren't for places like Coral Island where kids eat free it would be very difficult to feed a family on a budget.”

Other challenges faced by hoteliers and B&B owners are an over-supply of bed spaces, and a rise in empty properties with some vacant hotels attracting squatters or even cannabis farms.

Robert Gray said: “It's been a tough year because Blackpool is overpriced and underwhelming, the whole place needs a good wash. Hotels are pricing themselves out of the market, parking is a nightmare and expensive, and the train prices to Blackpool are a joke, there's no value for money in Blackpool anymore, cheaper to go abroad.”

Council leader Lynn Williams, who is also cabinet member for tourism art and culture, said many of the issues raised were being faced by all seaside resorts which was why Blackpool had put its events programme at the heart of the tourism offer.

Angela Couzens said: “I come to Blackpool 3 times a year. Hotels are getting more expensive and so is the parking charges. That's before you starting spending money.”

Alison Robertson said: “I think all resorts etc in UK suffered this year especially as the weather has been dismal the holidaying public have gone off abroad. Hopefully next year will be better if you can all last.”

Centre for Cities carried out research for its report, “Spending time: the role of the visitor economy in UK cities” The study sets out how visitors help places sustain a greater variety of local businesses and experiences in the most visited destinations.

Kevin Astill said: “We had a great time from the 21st November until the 25th November the hotel was fantastic.”

Andrew Carter, chief executive for Centre for Cities, said: “It’s hard to imagine Edinburgh without its unique restaurants and cafes or Blackpool without its Pleasure Beach Resort. The extra revenues that visitors bring in makes live in these places richer, livelier and more enjoyable for residents too, by sustaining a wider vareity of local amenities that they could do on their own.”` `  ~µ

Council leader Lynn Williams said: “While other places are pulling away from events such as these, we as a council continue to prioritise them as we know tourism is critical to the towns economy and the economic well-being of our people.”

Kieth Marlow said: “It's not all doom and gloom Blackpool still gets a really good share of tourism. Expensive and unreliable train travel doesn't help anyone anywhere.

Paul White said: “Its challenging because the people going to Blackpool is falling and those going there are not spending as much.

Robert Hilton said: “There’s too many hotels. The supply far exceeds the demand.”