The latest tourism figures for the Lancaster district show the number of visitors has risen again year-on-year.
The STEAM report for 2023/4 says that the visitor economy in the Lancaster and Morecambe area surged that year - generating £648.3m in economic impact while welcoming 7.13m visitors.
Visitors to the District rose to 6.96m in 2023, up from 6.87m the previous year. Economic impact in 2022/23 was £597m.
There was a 14 per cent rise in visitors to the City of Lancaster compared to 2023, with a tourism value of £174.8m and 2.58m visitors.
Morecambe had a tourism value of £192.9m, while Carnforth and Silverdale delivered £131m, and South Lancaster and rural areas rose 2.5 per cent to £149.7m.
"These figures show the strength and resilience of the Lancaster district’s visitor economy," said Councillor Martin Bottoms from Lancaster City Council.
"Tourism is not only bringing in millions of pounds but creating thousands of jobs and opportunities for local people.
"With Eden Project Morecambe on the horizon, we’re confident this growth will continue, making our district an even more attractive destination for visitors from across the UK and beyond."
David Waddington, chair of Morecambe BID, said: "It’s very encouraging to see Morecambe continue to welcome more and more people to the town, and surrounding areas.
"The combination of our beautiful, uninterrupted miles of promenade, strong hospitality offering - and wide variety of events throughout the year - ensure that Morecambe continues to be a sought-after destination, and these figures confirm that.”
Tony Johnson, Lancaster BID manager, added: "As the biggest organiser of Lancaster city centre events throughout the year, Lancaster BID is proud to play our part in boosting the visitor economy.
Lancaster Castle. Photo credit: Darren Andrews
"The increase in visitor numbers is recognition of the high quality on offer in the city centre including a thriving hospitality sector and unique range of quality independent retailers."
Mark Prada, chair of Bay Tourism Association, said: "It is great to see Lancaster, Morecambe and the surrounding area performing so well, as an iconic destination for visitors.
"With inspiring ongoing developments to our tourism offer and the arrival of Eden Project Morecambe in the not too distant future, I am looking forward to seeing this growth continue. Positive news such as this, can only encourage business investment and good quality employment opportunities in the area."
The county’s annual STEAM report, released by Marketing Lancashire, evaluates the volume and value of visitors to Lancashire.
It analyses data from hospitality and tourism businesses gathered each year.
The full report can be found HERE.
Read more: Visitor numbers to Lancaster and Morecambe District rise year-on-year - Beyond Radio
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