NEW PLAN FOR TOURISM GROWTH LAUNCHED FOR LEICESTER AND LEICESTERSHIRE

Visit Leicester has launched its brand-new Tourism Growth Plan, setting out a five-year strategy to continue to grow the tourism economy and solidify a distinctive identity for Leicester and Leicestershire.

The Tourism Growth Plan builds on the success of the previous five-year plan, which saw the city and county rally from the impact of the longest COVID lockdown in the UK to grow the value of the tourism economy to £2.5 billion and welcome 32 million visitors per year to the region.

The launch event was held as the centrepiece of VisitEngland’s English Tourism Week, which runs from 13-22 March. Held at Leicester’s newest attraction, the Jewry Wall Real Roman Experience, the event was attended by over 80 stakeholders and tourism businesses plus VisitEngland’s Advisory Board Chair, Lady Victoria Borwick, who spoke alongside Leicester City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby, the Assistant Chief Executive of Leicestershire County Council Zafar Saleem and the Local Visitor Economy Partnership chair and Operations Manager at Everards Brewery, Erika Hardy.

The new five-year Tourism Growth Plan for Leicester and Leicestershire will run until 2031, focusing on three key priorities.

Firstly, to showcase Leicester and Leicestershire’s incredible tourism offer including the amazing visitor attractions, huge range of internationally recognised events and the beautiful Leicestershire countryside, plus the pubs, cafés, restaurants, hotels and many other small businesses who are the drivers of the visitor economy.

Secondly, it aims to engender local pride in the area by delivering a positive welcome and visitor experience through great use of data intelligence, regenerative tourism practices and the development of local skills, inspiring people of all ages to consider a career in tourism and hospitality.

The third priority is to create a joined-up approach with strong partnerships and collaborations between tourism businesses and stakeholders which will result in much more targeted and effective campaigns.

This work has already begun as the new Tourism Growth Plan is the result of collaboration and stakeholder engagement that took place throughout 2025, giving local tourism businesses and attractions the opportunity to contribute towards the Plan and suggest future activities to grow the region’s £2.5 billion tourism economy.

As the official Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP), Visit Leicester will lead the new 5-year strategy. Visit Leicester was accredited as the official local tourism organisation by VisitEngland in 2024, enabling the Place Marketing team to work more closely with other nationally and regionally accredited LVEPs, and further raise the profile of the city and county as national and international visitor destinations with direct support from VisitEngland and Visit Britain.

VisitEngland Advisory Board Chair Lady Victoria Borwick, said: “I am delighted to be in Leicester and to see for myself the businesses and attractions that make Leicestershire an outstanding visitor destination. As we celebrate English Tourism Week, it is timely to shine the spotlight this LVEP’s regional growth plan and the amazing people at the heart of our industry.

This exciting and ambitious plan cements the fantastic partnership work underway with stakeholders across the region to further grow the visitor economy and spread prosperity. We look forward to continuing to work with the Leicester and Leicestershire LVEP supported by the new Tourism Growth Plan, building on the region’s success and ensuring it remains a top destination for both domestic and international visitors now and in years to come.”

Leicester City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “English Tourism Week is a great opportunity to highlight our five-year Tourism Growth Strategy for Leicester and Leicestershire. We’re incredibly proud of the city’s history, culture and heritage, and we want more people to come and experience it for themselves.

“But it’s not just about attracting visitors — it’s about the welcome they receive when they get here. Our Tourism Ambassadors do a fantastic job greeting people as they arrive and sharing their enthusiasm for Leicester. That friendly welcome makes a real difference and helps ensure people leave with a great impression of a city that’s proud of its past and confident about its future.”

Zafar Saleem, Assistant Chief Executive at Leicestershire County Council, said: “We’re pleased to be working with the City Council on the Leicester and Leicestershire Tourism Growth Plan. Hotels, attractions and local businesses across the city and county benefit greatly from tourism, and we hope that this plan can bolster our tourism industry and, in turn, benefit both of our local economies.”

A new ‘Hidden Gems’ tourism campaign will be launched later this year and will be one of the first actions of the Tourism Growth Plan 2026-31.

To get a copy of the Tourism Growth Plan 2026-31 and find out more about the activity that will be delivered and how this will impact businesses and local people please head to Tourism Growth Plan - Visit Leicester