National tourism quango VisitEngland is hoping to capitalise on a bumper year of sport to boost the amount spent by day-trippers beyond the record £45.3bn (US$55.8bn, €53.1bn) generated over 2016.
They DCMS arm’s-length body has highlighted events such as London’s hosting of the 2017 World Athletics Championships and World Para Athletics Championship in July and August as good opportunities to bring in income from day trips.
Other sporting events highlighted were the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, which is being played at cricket grounds in Cardiff, London and Birmingham, and the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup final, which will be hosted at Lord’s Cricket Ground.
England’s flagship football competition, the Premier League, will also celebrate its 25th anniversary.
Over the first 11 months of 2016, England experienced the highest number of day trips since VisitEngland began recording the figures in 2011, with 1.35bn visits.
Domestic trips were up 14 per cent on the same period in 2015, with spend up 7 per cent.
“It’s great to see more people getting out and exploring the huge range of quality destinations and tourism products on offer right across the country,” said VisitEngland chief executive Sally Balcombe.
Other attractions that VisitEngland expects to bring significant day trip income are: the new Hadrian’s Cavalry Exhibition; the British Museum Experience moving from London to Liverpool; and a vast blue whale skeleton coming to the Natural History Museum from summer 2017.
Hull will brace itself for an increase in numbers after becoming the UK City of Culture for 2017.
