Sensational end to summer season
Blackpool’s tourism industry has enjoyed one of its best seasons in years.
That was the verdict at VisitBlackpool’s end of season review event at the Winter Gardens as hoteliers, attractions, business owners and those responsible for promoting the town looked back on 2014.
The event, attended by more than 50 leading figures from the industry, also saw the launch of two new visitor economy initiatives – a new approved visitor accommodation scheme (1) and the roll out of the WorldHost customer service programme across the resort.
The event attendees were told that the challenge was to replicate the success of 2014 next year. Initiatives already in the pipeline for 2015 include:
- Bringing back the brilliant events programme that lit up the summer season and helped drive a 30% (2) increase in overnight stays including Showzam!, Armed Forces Week, the Blackpool Air Show, the World Fireworks Championships, the Switch-On Festival Weekend and Ride the Lights
- Bringing another high-profile summer season show to the Winter Gardens to try to match the success of Mamma Mia! which scooped more than £3m at the Box Office (3), making it the highest grossing show in the resort’s history
- Adding new attractions to “The Resort Pass” – the Disney-style all in one pass to Blackpool attractions which has proved so popular
- Exploring ways to invest in the Illuminations and find new streams of funding to meet the financial challenges facing the local authority
- Continuing to try to increase business tourism, capitalising on the new direct Blackpool to London rail link, exploring further conferencing and events opportunities
- Marketing the resort nationally with positive publicity such as that achieved by the Blackpool’s Back campaign, Strictly Come Dancing and much more
Cllr Graham Cain, Blackpool Council’s cabinet member for tourism and leisure, thanked businesses and residents for supporting events and tourism this year and pledged to continue to make bold decisions, like bringing in MAMMA MIA! which was such a success.
He said: “It has been a truly fantastic season.
“The success of MAMMA MIA!, the Switch-On Festival Weekend, the World Fireworks Championships, Blackpool Air Show and so much more has been a huge tonic for Blackpool.
“Add that to the incredible regeneration work that has gone on here from the transformation of the Promenade and the creation of the Comedy Carpet and Festival House to the sparkling new Talbot Gateway Central Business District that now greets visitors who get off the train at Blackpool North Station and we really believe we have a winning formula.
“As the campaign says Blackpool is back and our job now is to build on that in 2015.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
VisitBlackpool is the tourism arm of Blackpool Council and is tasked with promoting the UK's most popular holiday destination to leisure and business visitors, both domestically and internationally.
References here:
- Blackpool approved visitor accreditation scheme: https://www.blackpool.gov.uk/News/2014/November/Blackpoolapprovedvisitoraccreditationscheme.aspx
- Summer season is an overnight success: https://www.blackpool.gov.uk/News/2014/October/Summerseasonisanovernightsuccess.aspx
- MAMMA MIA! has been declared a smash hit for Blackpool with ticket sales totalling more than £3.3m www.blackpool.gov.uk/News/2014/September/Smash-hit-Mamma-Mia!-is-huge-success-for-Blackpool.aspx