Tourism is on the up in Lancashire with 17 million more visitors welcomed in 2022 - Blackpool is a key draw

Lancashire's visitor economy continues to show strong signs of recovery as it was revealed more than 64.8 million people visited the county in 2022. 

The latest tourism figures released  (2022) have revealed that the Lancashire tourism sector continues to show a strong recovery post-pandemic with 17 million more visitor days and nights in 2022 than 2021.

The county’s annual STEAM report, which evaluates the volume and value of visitors to Lancashire, has been released by Marketing Lancashire.  The report analyses data from tourism and hospitality businesses gathered for 2022 and shows continued growth as the county recovers steadily from the impact of the Covid pandemic.

Visitor numbers rose from 51.5m to 64.8m in 2022 and the economic impact generated in 2022 increased to £4.8bn from £3.51bn in 2021, a growth of £1.29bn.

All areas of Lancashire have shown an increase on total visitor numbers measured in 2021 figures but the county as a whole is still not back at pre-covid levels yet.

Coastal areas of the county are performing particularly well, and Blackpool has seen an increase in total visitor numbers  which are 10% higher than the last recorded  pre-pandemic year in 2019,  which has been achieved by extending its traditional Summer season well into the Autumn and  Winter months.

County Councillor Aidy Riggott, “The figures are highly encouraging for the county and demonstrate the effectiveness of our collaborative approach to partnership working across a broad spectrum of organisations.

“While we acknowledge the challenges posed by the wider economic climate, we remain optimistic and expect to see continued growth in 2023.

Vikki Harris, Marketing and Partnerships Director, Marketing Lancashire, said: “The recently announced Lancashire LVEP, a partnership between Marketing Lancashire and Visit Blackpool, is exciting for the region and is supported by all the county’s 15 councils.

“This programme will deliver local and national structure to continue to grow the local visitor economy. It's great to see Lancashire making a strong recovery, but we remain very aware of high energy costs, increased staffing expenses, and the continuing cost of living for local businesses and their staff.”

To read the full STEAM report click here