New figures show tourism boosts Gloucester’s local economy

Visit Gloucester, the city’s tourism and destination marketing organisation has released new data from the South West Research Company.

It shows that tourists spent around £246 million in Gloucester in 2023 and in total the overall economic impact was £310 million, benefitting businesses across the city.

The data also shows that more than a third was spent in shops and another third in restaurants and cafes. 

Gloucester is currently second in the county for attracting day trippers and ranks third for staycations.

However, with the opening of the Hotel Indigo at The Forum later this year, it is expected that numbers will rise.

In particular, it is hoped that the new boutique hotel will tempt visitors who come to Gloucester for sporting and cultural events to stay in the city rather than travel in from other areas.

This year, Visit Gloucester which promotes Gloucester’s attractions as well as festivals, events, Gloucester Guildhall and the Museum of Gloucester, will build on its popularity by bringing partners from across the city to work together on promotional campaigns.

It also plans to improve signage to make it easier for people to find their way around the city and discover key locations, with 2025 seeing the opening of new landmarks The Forum and the University of Gloucestershire’s city campus.

Councillor Caroline Courtney, Cabinet member for Culture and Leisure at Gloucester City Council, said: “Tourism plays a vital role in our local economy, and these impressive figures underline just how essential it is to our city’s prosperity. We are dedicated to making Gloucester an even more attractive destination by supporting local businesses, investing in a vibrant events programme, and backing exciting projects like the Food Dock, which all contribute to an exceptional experience for both visitors and residents.”