Tourism Minister visits Blackpool as millions plan staycations this bank holiday

• Tourism is forecast to contribute £161 billion to the UK economy annually by 2030, supporting jobs and growth across the country
• Bank holiday weekend will be the last chance for people across the UK to take advantage of the government's Great British Summer Savings scheme.

Tourism Minister Stephanie Peacock has visited Blackpool's iconic Winter Gardens and Pleasure Beach to see how the town's visitor economy is supporting local jobs, businesses and communities, as we head into the bank holiday weekend.

Blackpool is one of the UK's best-known and much-loved seaside destinations, with tourism playing a vital role in the town's economy. In 2024, Blackpool welcomed 23.2 million tourists, a 7.7% increase from the previous year, supporting more than 23,000 full-time jobs and generating £2.15 billion in visitor and tourism business expenditure.

Joined by Chris Webb, MP for Blackpool South, the Minister met with Kate Shane, Managing Director of Blackpool Tourism Ltd, to discuss the importance of the sector to the local area and the opportunities and challenges facing tourism businesses.

Tourism is a cornerstone of the UK economy, supporting 2.4 million jobs and contributing £147 billion in direct and indirect GDP impact by 2024. The sector's economic value is forecast to grow to £161 billion annually by 2030, supporting an additional 175,000 jobs.

The latest VisitEngland TripTracker found that 10.6 million Brits are planning an overnight holiday trip in the UK this bank holiday, bringing an estimated £4.3 billion boost to the economy.

This weekend will be the last chance for people in Blackpool and across the UK to take advantage of the government's Great British Summer Savings scheme. Ending on 1 September 2026, this scheme allows families to enjoy discounted access to attractions and leisure activities such as theme parks, soft play centres and cinemas, while also backing businesses who rely on footfall in the summer season.

Minister for Tourism and Place Stephanie Peacock said:

From the Blackpool Tower and Winter Gardens to the Pleasure Beach and world-famous illuminations, Blackpool has a proud heritage as one of the UK's most iconic coastal destinations.

The millions of people who visit each year support local businesses, sustain thousands of jobs and demonstrate the vital role tourism plays in driving growth and regeneration in coastal communities.

Ahead of the bank holiday weekend, we're determined to support destinations like Blackpool to thrive though investment, stronger visitor experiences, and our ambitious plans to grow the visitor economy across the whole country.

Kate Shane MBE, Managing Director of Blackpool Tourism Limited said:

We are extremely grateful to Stephanie Peacock MP for taking the time to visit Blackpool and see first-hand the fantastic businesses that make our tourism sector so vibrant and successful. This summer, attractions, restaurants and transport operators have been able to help visitors make their money go further through the government's Great British Summer Savings initiative, making it even more affordable to enjoy everything our resort has to offer.

As we look ahead to a busy bank holiday weekend, the visit provided the perfect opportunity for Stephanie to experience the vital role tourism plays in Blackpool's economy. Our visitor economy supports thousands of jobs across the Fylde Coast and continues to be a major driver of investment, growth and opportunity for our community.

Chris Webb, MP for Blackpool South said:

As chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tourism and Hospitality I've worked closely with Stephanie in Parliament and I'm constantly banging the drum for Blackpool, telling her how brilliant it is to visit. So it's great to finally get her up here to see it for herself.

I'm excited to show her all the reasons why Blackpool is the beating heart of British seaside tourism and why it deserves recognition and investment at the very top of government.

The government has set an ambition to welcome 50 million international visitors annually by 2030. This will be supported by a forthcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy, setting out an ambitious long-term, place-based plan to increase visitor flows across the UK, boost value, and deliver sustainable growth across regional visitor economies.

To support hospitality and tourism businesses, the government has announced a review of how business rates are calculated for pubs and hotels in England and Wales. The review will look at improving fairness for businesses working with them to ensure the system is fair and transparent, and ensure pubs and hotels can plan better for the future.

The government is also investing £3.38 million through the Connected Destinations Fund, led by VisitEngland, to help destinations come together to develop stronger visitor experiences and drive sustainable tourism growth across England.

Next month, the government will convene representatives from local government and local businesses in Blackpool to discuss how government can best support the regeneration and long-term prosperity of seaside towns.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

• Photos of the visit can be found at DCMS' Flickr album.
• VisitBritian's 'Economic Value of Tourism in the United Kingdom' found that tourism is worth £147 billion annually to the UK, about 5 percent of the natioanl economy, when including both direct and supply chain impacts.