Lincolnshire tourism booming and hits record £58.8million

The 2014 STEAM figures for the county show almost a 6% increase in the value of tourism compared to the previous year, rising from £1.2bn to £1.3bn.

Historic Lincoln has been one of the most successful areas with more than 1.5m people visiting in 2014, causing direct expenditure to rise from £54.5m in 2013 to £58.8m – almost an 8% increase.

Cllr Colin Davie, Executive Member for Economic Development at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “This is fantastic news for the county. Tourism is a key industry for Lincolnshire’s economy, and we’re working hard to attract even more visitors.

“These figures show that our efforts, and those of our partners, are paying dividends.

“I’m confident this trend will continue, and that next year’s figures will be even better as we see the impact of the new-look Lincoln Castle and Magna Carta 800 celebrations.

The news follows Prime Minister David Cameron’s announcement of the Government’s new Five Point Plan to boost tourism across the UK - spreading the benefits of one of the fastest growing sectors beyond the capital, helping to create jobs and rebalance the economy.

Cllr Davie added: “We welcome the Government’s commitment to strengthening the UK’s tourism economy and are determined that Lincolnshire will be at the forefront.

“One of the key opportunities coming up is the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower in 2020.

“We’ll be working closely with partners to showcase the county’s connections to this important event, bringing new visitors in from across the globe.”

For more on all Lincolnshire has to offer visitors, go to www.visitlincolnshire.com .