Air show is among events for 2021 as Blackpool's tourism sector looks towards recovery

While key events early in 2021 including the Pigeon Show and the Magicians Conference have already been cancelled, the council’s tourism arm VisitBlackpool is preparing an events programme to begin in June.

Councillors were told highlights of the summer season including Pride and the Blackpool Air Show are being planned – but with contingencies in case Government restrictions remain in place.

It is also hoped the resort can reopen in the run up to Christmas with the Illuminations set to be switched back on if lockdown ends on December 2 as is currently proposed.

Tourism is worth more than £1.6bn to Blackpool’s economy, with more than 18 million visits last year, according to figures from the annual STEAM survey of the industry.

Philip Welsh, head of tourism at Blackpool Council, told a meeting of the tourism, economy and communities scrutiny committee: “At the moment we are looking at a full VisitBlackpool programme from June onwards.

“Our first big council supported event is Pride, and we are also planning a two day air show and have put the military requests in.”

He added events including next year’s Illuminations Switch On and Slimefest would also be in the programme.

He warned all events “have contingencies” but said “we are determined to find a way to deliver an events programme if we can.”

Promotion for 2021 will begin in January “for what may be another staycation year”.

If restrictions are lifted after December 2, marketing campaigns will be used to send the message out that Blackpool is open, while initiatives such as discounted parking schemes to attract Christmas shoppers would run as normal.

The council is putting Christmas lights up in the town centre in partnership with the town centre BID (business improvement district).

Mr Welsh said Blackpool had a strong festive offer including shows at the Grand Theatre and the Winter Gardens, with a number of attractions also committed to reopening in December if restrictions permitted.

It was hoped this would give businesses in the resort “one last go” at recouping losses from earlier in the year.

Visitor figures for the 2020 season are not available because the Omnibus survey, which is used to calculate the numbers, was suspended this year.

But a tourism performance report presented to the committee warned numbers would be significantly reduced due to lockdowns, apart from a brief reprieve in July and August when restrictions were lifted.

A report to the council’s tourism and economic development committee says: “Given that the tourism industry was closed between March 2020 and the beginning of July 2020, and then badly affected by restrictions during the all-important October 2020 half-term, it is inevitable that the visitor numbers for this year will be substantially lower than 2019.”

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