Tourism in Swindon and Wiltshire enjoyed its third consecutive record year in 2014 and is now worth £1.5bn annually and supports more than 28,000 jobs, according to a new report.
Visitor numbers, what they spent and the economic impact of tourism all reached record levels last year, the report reveals. All parts of the county benefited from the tourism boost while the tourism season is getting longer. 
The total number of visitors reached 19.9m last year while overnight stays were up 5% – a key statistic as tourists who stay spend far more than day trippers.
The findings are in marked contrast to the period between 2005 and 2010 when tourism fell in the county.
VisitWiltshire chairman and Swindon & Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) board member Peter Wragg said: “This report is hugely encouraging and gives further evidence of how important tourism is to our overall economy.
“Since 2011 Swindon & Wiltshire’s total tourism business turnover and GVA (gross valued added) have increased by 30%.”
VisitWiltshire CEO David Andrews added: “This report is a terrific endorsement for our marketing and development activity and the efforts we and the industry have been making to win back market share after Wiltshire’s tourism downturn from 2005-2010.
“We are particularly pleased to see such strong growth in overnight stays and we are delighted that there is new evidence that we’re extending the visitor season.”
The report – the Economic Impact of Wiltshire’s Visitor Economy – was produced for VisitWiltshire by The South West Research Company.
It analysed tourism spending by type and area, competitor destinations and overall economic contribution.
VisitWiltshire, set up in August 2011 as a private sector membership organisation, is the county’s official tourist board, representing more than 600 partners.
Its priority is to grow the county’s visitor economy by raising awareness of the destination and generating additional tourism visits and spend.
Pictured: Swindon’s STEAM museum, one of the town’s top tourist attractions
