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The West Midlands celebrates a record-breaking year for tourism 🎉
The region welcomed an impressive 101.5 million visitors in 2024 - surpassing the 100 million mark for the first time.
According to new data from Global Tourism Solutions, commissioned by the West Midlands Growth Company, this milestone represents a 2.9% year-on-year increase - equivalent to 2.84 million additional visitors compared with 2023 – and a rise of six million since 2022, when the region hosted the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
These results highlight the ongoing strength and resilience of the West Midlands’ visitor economy, including concerts, tourism attractions, and major sporting events.
Read the full release: https://lnkd.in/e2_SEdMF
Fantastic news — but if we truly want to become a tourism powerhouse, the planning needs to start now.
With the Sport Quarter due to open in the early 2030s, HS2, Digbeth Loc, and other regeneration projects, there’s a real window for West Midlands Growth Company and West Midlands Combined Authority to attract major entertainment and experience brands to the region — especially Birmingham.
By investing in Birmingham directly, every surrounding town and city stands to benefit. Yet right now, our “things to do” economy is weak — and if it weren’t for Merlin Entertainments, F1® Arcade, it would be almost non-existent.
We need the private sector — operators, creators, and experience experts — at the table helping to bring world-class brands here.
Hop-on hop-off tours, museums, live experiences — even something like a Birmingham Dungeon x Peaky Blinders attraction (come on, Steve Knight!) could put us back on the map.
Birmingham’s been in the headlines for the wrong reasons lately.
Time to change the narrative — and make it a mecca for entertainment and tourism.
Barbados’s tourism industry is showing a fresh, creative edge and it’s coming not just from beaches and hotels, but from the deliberate expansion of festival tourism and the cultural and creative industries. The island’s hosting of CARIFESTA XV in August 2025 was a great moment: a multi-day regional arts festival that brought hundreds of performers, craft vendors, film screenings, symposiums and industry trade hubs to Bridgetown and other venues. The event made clear that culture-led tourism is moving from seasonal supplement to core strategy for Barbados’s wider tourism recovery and diversification.
Here are my thoughts on how CARIFESTA XV as a great festival tourism project is increasing the island's tourism product.
#Barbados#Tourism#Festivals#CARIFESTAhttps://lnkd.in/eP4nG6NT
🌍 From Monuments to Moments: Why Destinations Must Think Like Event Producers.
The Eiffel Tower. The Grand Canyon. The Pyramids. For decades, these icons were enough to drive tourism. But today’s travellers are chasing something different. Not just places - but experiences.
In my latest piece for World Travel Market (WTM) London, I explore how destinations can no longer afford to act like museum curators. They need to think like event producers because "Live Tourism" is a growing travel magnet and one of the most powerful ways to drive demand, boost economies, and build deeper emotional connections with audiences.
Festivals, concerts, and cultural events are transforming destinations into global stages. Creating unforgettable, shareable moments is now the ultimate driver of travel demand.
📝 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/egk8aAgH 🌍 Featuring insights and inspiration from: Edinburgh Fringe, SXSW Austin, Island Hopper Festival in Fort Myers - Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods, Tivoli Gardens, Disney Experiences, Rio Carnival, Geneva Motor Show, Singapore Tourism Board, Changi Airport, Santadi Sardinia, Glastonbury and beyond.
🎤 Join me at WTM London on Thursday 6th November for "Live Tourism: Turning Events into Destination Magnets" a panel discussion with Kershing Goh (Singapore Tourism Board) and Kate Irwin (Skift) packed with actionable insights on how to embed live events at the heart of destination strategy.
#TravelMarketing#LiveTourism#DestinationMarketing#WTMLDN#WTM2025#MarketingSummit#DMOs
Discover the full WTM marketing summit agenda here: https://lnkd.in/ewe55TTW
Wynn has teamed up with the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) to promote Macau across Southeast Asia.
This move aims to strengthen the city’s visibility as a leisure and cultural destination beyond gaming. This collaboration reflects Macau’s broader strategy to diversify tourism and tap into new travel markets across the region.
Full article in the comments 👇
Tourism Northern Ireland in partnership with Tourism Ireland is delighted to announce the extension of the NI Overseas Event Animation Programme to March 31, 2026.
The programme, which aims to support small and unique Northern Ireland-based tourism partners attend Tourism Ireland-led overseas events, is designed to help the businesses explore overseas markets without the requirement for pre-arranged appointments.
Further information is available at https://lnkd.in/eyTVPUn2
“In many English cities, tourism is a major driver of earned income – museum and heritage visits, festivals and theatre trips, are all boosted by visitors. Yet as tourism grows, so do the costs associated with it.”
A well-designed tourist tax can be a powerful tool for cultural sustainability creating a revenue stream to support improvements to a place, as well as boosting economic resilience. But the devil is in the detail.
Cause4’s CEO, Michelle Wright, discusses the inevitability of tourism taxes and what cultural organisations can do to respond.
Read more: https://lnkd.in/eCgps9_zArts Professional
“In many English cities, tourism is a major driver of earned income – museum and heritage visits, festivals and theatre trips, are all boosted by visitors. Yet as tourism grows, so do the costs associated with it.”
A well-designed tourist tax can be a powerful tool for cultural sustainability creating a revenue stream to support improvements to a place, as well as boosting economic resilience. But the devil is in the detail.
Cause4’s CEO, Michelle Wright, discusses the inevitability of tourism taxes and what cultural organisations can do to respond.
Read more: https://lnkd.in/eCgps9_zArts Professional
#Tourismhttps://lnkd.in/gEGrvGBp
Tourism Skills ..... you either have them or you don't.
Some guy was trying to tell me that Tourism is dependent on #Advertising.
If that were so, then you can keep advertising you will not be able to create any Tourism.
The #RohitSinghNegi CheckList :-
Key points:
•Quality over Quantity: A well-executed small festival outshines a poorly managed large event.
•Infrastructure & Amenities: Comfortable accommodation, reliable transport, and safety are essential.
•Political Stability & Security: A secure environment is crucial for all visitors.
•Good Governance & Diverse Tourism Products: Effective management and varied attractions enhance appeal.
•Stakeholder Collaboration: Coordinated efforts between local businesses, communities, and authorities are vital.
•Local Leadership & Organization: Strong local ownership drives sustainable tourism growth.
•Customer Experience: Friendly service, accessibility, and memorable interactions matter most.
•Authenticity: Events should genuinely reflect local culture and heritage.
•Repeatability & Reputation: Excellence ensures tourists return and recommend the destination.
•Integration: Events must be part of a broader tourism ecosystem, not isolated attractions.
In short: Events act as catalysts, but only #excellence sustains #tourism.
Reshmi Nair 🔗
#Tourismhttps://lnkd.in/gEGrvGBp
Tourism Skills ..... you either have them or you don't.
Some guy was trying to tell me that Tourism is dependent on #Advertising.
If that were so, then you can keep advertising you will not be able to create any Tourism.
The #RohitSinghNegi CheckList :-
Key points:
•Quality over Quantity: A well-executed small festival outshines a poorly managed large event.
•Infrastructure & Amenities: Comfortable accommodation, reliable transport, and safety are essential.
•Political Stability & Security: A secure environment is crucial for all visitors.
•Good Governance & Diverse Tourism Products: Effective management and varied attractions enhance appeal.
•Stakeholder Collaboration: Coordinated efforts between local businesses, communities, and authorities are vital.
•Local Leadership & Organization: Strong local ownership drives sustainable tourism growth.
•Customer Experience: Friendly service, accessibility, and memorable interactions matter most.
•Authenticity: Events should genuinely reflect local culture and heritage.
•Repeatability & Reputation: Excellence ensures tourists return and recommend the destination.
•Integration: Events must be part of a broader tourism ecosystem, not isolated attractions.
In short: Events act as catalysts, but only #excellence sustains #tourism.
#Tourismhttps://lnkd.in/gEGrvGBp
Tourism Skills ..... you either have them or you don't.
Some guy was trying to tell me that Tourism is dependent on #Advertising.
If that were so, then you can keep advertising you will not be able to create any Tourism.
The #RohitSinghNegi CheckList :-
Key points:
•Quality over Quantity: A well-executed small festival outshines a poorly managed large event.
•Infrastructure & Amenities: Comfortable accommodation, reliable transport, and safety are essential.
•Political Stability & Security: A secure environment is crucial for all visitors.
•Good Governance & Diverse Tourism Products: Effective management and varied attractions enhance appeal.
•Stakeholder Collaboration: Coordinated efforts between local businesses, communities, and authorities are vital.
•Local Leadership & Organization: Strong local ownership drives sustainable tourism growth.
•Customer Experience: Friendly service, accessibility, and memorable interactions matter most.
•Authenticity: Events should genuinely reflect local culture and heritage.
•Repeatability & Reputation: Excellence ensures tourists return and recommend the destination.
•Integration: Events must be part of a broader tourism ecosystem, not isolated attractions.
In short: Events act as catalysts, but only #excellence sustains #tourism.
Reshmi Nair 🔗
Finally, a city takes a stand against mass tourism - Merci, Bruges!
Starting March 1st, 2026, Bruges will enforce a stricter regulation on guided tours.
The main changes are clear:
– Group sizes limited to 20 participants (excluding the guide)
– No stops allowed in certain narrow streets, bridges, and quiet areas such as the Beguinage
– Clearer ban on aggressive client recruitment in public spaces
– Stricter rules on where groups can stop and how guides can address participants
Why is this important?
Because it directly challenges a model that has been spreading across European cities: tours based solely on tips. These so-called “free tours” depend on volume – the larger the groups, the more profitable. But this has consequences: constant disturbance for residents, pressure on fragile public spaces, and no real accountability.
Bruges is sending a strong message: tourism must adapt to the city, not the other way around. Limiting numbers, setting boundaries, and prioritizing quality over mass is not about rejecting visitors – it is about protecting the balance between everyday life and cultural discovery.
Perhaps this is a model other cities should watch closely.
Atout FranceFNGIC - Fédération Nationale des Guides Interprètes et Conférenciers
World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA)
A city taking a stand against mass tourism – Merci, Bruges! 🫶🏽
Their new rules on guided tours, limiting group sizes, restricting stops in sensitive areas, and curbing aggressive recruitment, show what happens when tourism adapts to the city, rather than the city being reshaped by tourism.
This resonates with my research on visitor perceptions of mass tourism here in Cape Town. If we don’t prepare and align now, the challenges Bruges is addressing could easily become our reality: overwhelmed public spaces, frustrated residents, and diminished cultural experiences.
Bruges reminds us: sustainable, quality-focused tourism is not about excluding visitors, it’s about protecting the balance between everyday life and cultural discovery.
Qualified tour guide - German teacher - Photographer
Finally, a city takes a stand against mass tourism - Merci, Bruges!
Starting March 1st, 2026, Bruges will enforce a stricter regulation on guided tours.
The main changes are clear:
– Group sizes limited to 20 participants (excluding the guide)
– No stops allowed in certain narrow streets, bridges, and quiet areas such as the Beguinage
– Clearer ban on aggressive client recruitment in public spaces
– Stricter rules on where groups can stop and how guides can address participants
Why is this important?
Because it directly challenges a model that has been spreading across European cities: tours based solely on tips. These so-called “free tours” depend on volume – the larger the groups, the more profitable. But this has consequences: constant disturbance for residents, pressure on fragile public spaces, and no real accountability.
Bruges is sending a strong message: tourism must adapt to the city, not the other way around. Limiting numbers, setting boundaries, and prioritizing quality over mass is not about rejecting visitors – it is about protecting the balance between everyday life and cultural discovery.
Perhaps this is a model other cities should watch closely.
Atout FranceFNGIC - Fédération Nationale des Guides Interprètes et Conférenciers
World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA)
C-Suite Growth Leader | Travel, Tourism & Experiences | Scaling Global Brands | Partnerships & Distribution | Digital & Commercial Transformation | NED & Advisor
1wFantastic news — but if we truly want to become a tourism powerhouse, the planning needs to start now. With the Sport Quarter due to open in the early 2030s, HS2, Digbeth Loc, and other regeneration projects, there’s a real window for West Midlands Growth Company and West Midlands Combined Authority to attract major entertainment and experience brands to the region — especially Birmingham. By investing in Birmingham directly, every surrounding town and city stands to benefit. Yet right now, our “things to do” economy is weak — and if it weren’t for Merlin Entertainments, F1® Arcade, it would be almost non-existent. We need the private sector — operators, creators, and experience experts — at the table helping to bring world-class brands here. Hop-on hop-off tours, museums, live experiences — even something like a Birmingham Dungeon x Peaky Blinders attraction (come on, Steve Knight!) could put us back on the map. Birmingham’s been in the headlines for the wrong reasons lately. Time to change the narrative — and make it a mecca for entertainment and tourism.