Pic: Gatwick Express at Brighton station
Leading Green politicians have applauded the news that Brighton & Hove attracted 50,000 more overnight tourists last year and is now the eighth most popular city destination in the UK, up one place from 2012.
Statistics from the Office for National Statistics show that 409,000 visitors chose the city for a stay of at least one night in 2013 – up by more than 50,000 from 2012.
The city retains its place as the top seaside resort for overnight stays.
Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council Jason Kitcat said, “Strengthening our position and retaining the mantle of top seaside resort in the UK for overnight stays is terrific news for everyone in the city, its businesses and workers.
“It counters all the doom-mongers that Brighton and Hove had lost out and that people were staying away because of concerns over transport or prices.
“With 50,000 more overnight visitors in 2013, the approach of the Green-led council to reinvigorate the city with major transport infrastructure improvements is paying off.
“Even more people now like coming here. They are prepared to pay for quality and for proximity to the capital, the variety of our attractions and the buzz for which we are renowned.
“We are also fortunate to have such a talented and hard working business community that has built a resilient local economy, one that is strongly based on leisure and tourism yet is also diversifying in other ways.
“There is always more work to do, especially on ensuring living wages for workers in the hotel and leisure industries, and we certainly won’t take anything for granted.
“However it is another indicator that our successful city is becoming a greener and more attractive place for people who live and work here, as well as for tourists.”
Notes
For more information please contact Brighton and Hove Green Party office on 01273 766 670.
The over night stay figures during the Green administration term so far for overnight stays:
2013 – 409,000
2012 – 345,000
2011 – 304,000
| ONS Data for Figure 8: Top 20 UK towns visited for at least one night, 2013 | |
| Visits (thousands) | |
| Edinburgh | 1,303 |
| Manchester | 988 |
| Birmingham | 941 |
| Liverpool | 562 |
| Glasgow | 515 |
| Oxford | 456 |
| Bristol | 428 |
| Brighton/Hove | 409 |
| Cambridge | 404 |
| Leeds | 299 |
| Cardiff | 297 |
| Bath | 283 |
| York | 271 |
| Nottingham | 247 |
| Aberdeen | 241 |
| Inverness | 226 |
| Southampton | 218 |
| Newcastle-upon-Tyne | 201 |
| Reading | 193 |
| Canterbury | 177 |
| Min: | 177 |
| Max: | 1,303 |
| Source: Office For National Statistics | |