Headline figures for key metrics for 2022 are as follows:

Visitor expenditure

In 2022, the Northumberland visitor economy recorded the highest ever gross value of £1.169billion, an increase of 21% over 2021. When indexed to take the effects of inflation into account, this is just 0.5% lower than pre-COVID levels.

Visitors

The volume of visitors in 2022 increased by 28% to 9.97m, although this remains 6.7% lower than 2019 pre-covid level.

8.047m day visitors (81% of total), up 21% on 2021 but still 8.1% below 2019.

1.925 overnight visitors (19% of total), up29% over 2021 and on par with pre-covid records.

Visitors spent 16.36m days in Northumberland in 2022, 26% higher than 2021.

Employment

12,004 people are directly employed in the sector, up by 7.4% from 2021. Total employment which takes into account jobs in the supply chain grew by 10.7%. The total of 14,683 represents and increase over the 13,076 supported in 2019.

Food and drink is the biggest employment sector with the 4,789 roles correlating to 39.9% of all direct employment.

Spend

Average overnight visitor spend increased from £288.88 to £303.18, 16% higher than the 2019 figure of £260.51. This is worth £786.71m, representing 67% of all spend.

Average day visitor spent of £35.23 is up from £32.76 in 2021, annually worth £382.42m (33% of total). Day visit numbers and spend remain in the region of 8% lower than 2019.

Food and drink is the biggest contributor to direct economic impact (48.3% from £419m in expenditure).

 

2022 STEAM Overview

STEAM2021 HighlightsView the 2022 Economic Impact of Tourism Summary