Tourism in St Albans District bounces back from the pandemic
Tourism in St Albans District has recovered from the impact of the pandemic with spending and overnight stays both showing marked increases.
A study was commissioned by St Albans City and District Council and St Albans BID on behalf of Visit Herts - Hertfordshire’s Destination Management Organisation.
It revealed there were 274,000 overnight stays recorded in the District last year - a rise of 3% on 2019, the year before Covid-19 hit the hospitality industry.
The report undertaken by Destination Research, an independent analytics agency, also determined that those overnight visitors contributed £76 million to the local economy, an increase of 14% on 2019.
Total visitor numbers also showed strong gains with 2.1 million people visiting the District in 2023, up 23% on the 2021 figure and at 96% of 2019 levels.
In addition, the overall value of tourism to the District reached £217 million in 2023, which is an increase of 3% on pre-pandemic levels.
Tourism also boosted local employment, and now supports 3,755 jobs across the District, up 6% on 2019 and 5% of total employment.
The study used the Cambridge Economic Impact Model to measure the volume and value of tourism within a destination, as well as the effect of visits and visitor expenditure on the local economy.
Councillor Paul de Kort, the Council’s Leader and Lead for the Visitor Economy, said:
This study shows that St Albans District is firmly established as a major visitor destination with potential for continued growth.
As a Council, we work with a range of partners including Visit Herts, the Cathedral, St Albans City Centre BID and, of course, our many hospitality businesses to develop this section of the local economy. It is heartening to see these impressive results.
Vivien Cannon, Manager of St Albans City Centre BID, said:
BID considers St Albans to be ‘the’ premier cultural destination in Hertfordshire.
BID’s investment in delivering focused marketing of St Albans to local, national and international audiences via the Enjoy St Albans website, associated social media platforms, the Visitor Guide and in publications, plays an important role alongside the work of Visit Herts.
It is very rewarding to see the upturn in visitor data and reassuring for local businesses.
Visit Herts Chief Executive Deirdre Wells said:
St Albans District’s resurgence as a top destination for overnight stays is a testament to its unique charm, rich history, and beautiful countryside that resonates with visitors seeking both relaxation and discovery.
These strong recovery figures affirm the vital role tourism plays in our local economy, not only in driving visitor spending but in sustaining thousands of jobs.
Contacts for the Media
Visit Herts: press@visitherts.co.uk.
St Albans City and District Council: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer: 01727-819533, john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.
Note on hotel occupancy figures
Serviced accommodation for those experiencing homelessness or use of hotels for housing of asylum seekers are excluded from datasets, as these are not classed as trips for tourism purposes, including visiting friends and relatives, holiday or business.
About Visit Herts
Visit Herts is the destination management organisation for the county of Hertfordshire and was awarded Local Visitor Economy Partnership status by VisitBritain in April 2023. Visit Herts works with a range of public and private sector businesses and organisations to raise the county’s profile as a leading destination. Activities include targeting UK and overseas markets through consumer marketing and PR campaigns, forging strong relationships with the travel trade, improving quality and skills within the industry, and growing investment in tourism.
Visit Herts is a public/private sector partnership supported by Hertfordshire County Council and Hertfordshire Futures and is delivered by destination management specialists Go To Places. For further information visit: www.visitherts.co.uk
About the Cambridge Economic Impact Model
The figures were derived using the Cambridge Economic Impact Model undertaken by Destination Research on behalf of Visit Herts. The Cambridge Economic Impact Model is an industry-respected tool for measuring the economic impact of tourism in a given area. It utilises information from national tourism surveys and regional/local data (e.g., accommodation stock, domestic and inbound trips) of the level of tourism activity within a given local area. Please note that all figures in the research reports have been rounded, therefore there might be marginal discrepancies in subtotals and totals.
Please note this press release references comparative data from the 2023, 2021 and 2019 reports commissioned by Visit Herts.