Tourism is big business (From Crewe Guardian)

Tourism is big business

4:16pm Tuesday 8th April 2008 in Lifestyle

CHESHIRE'S tourism industry is among the best in the UK according to the latest Government figures.

The statistics show overseas tourists spent £112million in the county in 2006, compared to £92million in 2005 - an increase of 22 per cent.

The number of international visitors to the county soared by 15 per cent, from 343,000 to 396,000, while foreign tourists' overnights' added up to almost 2.1million, 17 per cent up on the previous year's 1.8million.

Tom Wright, chief executive of VisitBritain the UK's tourism marketing organisation, said it was a magnificent achievement.' He said: "Despite ever increasing competition from ever more accessible overseas destinations, Cheshire's tourism businesses can be rightly proud.

"The key thing now is to build on that success. Tourism is tremendously important to the county's economy and local businesses need to do all they can to maintain and sharpen their competitive edge."

The figures from the Government's International Passenger Survey have been collated ahead of the British Travel Trade Fair (BTTF) exhibition, which gives travel and tourism suppliers the chance to meet holiday company buyers from around the world.

BTTF is being held at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham on March 11 and 12 and is organised by Reed Travel Exhibitions on behalf of VisitBritain.

For further information please visit britishtraveltradefair.com