Blackpool's recovery plan is a towering success

By Ged Henderson

04 Apr 2022

Blackpool’s tourism industry bounced back in spectacular fashion last year with record-breaking levels of footfall as visitors flocked to the Lancashire seaside.

Figures reveal a huge upsurge in visitor numbers over the final part of 2021, on the back of a two-month extension of the Illuminations season and the most ambitious Christmas campaign ever staged in the town.

Blackpool saw a 75 per cent increase on prepandemic levels of footfall in the last quarter of 2021.

More than 17 million people took a turn on the famous Prom between September and December in 2021, compared to just over 10 million in 2019. And the town centre attracted more than 12 million people in 2021, compared to about nine million in the pre-pandemic days of 2019.

Those footfall figures are supported by a record visitor interest recorded on the VisitBlackpool website over the extended Illuminations season, with all four months showing huge increases over 2019 - the last full year of tourism activity.

Little wonder council leader Lynn Williams has described it as a "total vindication” of the decision to spend £1m marketing the resort as Covid restrictions were lifted.

Those restrictions had a massive impact on Blackpool’s vitally important tourism and hospitality sector, with fears that it might take years for the resort to recover.

The importance of the industry cannot be underestimated. It is Blackpool’s economic lifeblood, worth £1.6bn to the local economy and it supports 25,000 jobs.

Now, on the back of the strong end to 2021, efforts are turning to ensure 2022 sees visitor numbers continue to head in the right direction.

Coun Williams says: “As we came out of the pandemic restrictions partway through last year, we were determined to put in place a tourism recovery plan that was of sufficient scale and quality to give our businesses the best possible chance of recouping some of the losses they incurred over two years of Covid disruption.

“What we now need to do is work with our partners to not just replicate what we delivered in 2021 but build on what was a remarkable campaign.”

This year’s Illuminations season will once again be extended by two months, starting on September 2, and running through to January 2, 2023.

And discussions are also taking place to look at a return of the resort’s highly successful Christmas events.

In February Blackpool Pleasure Beach began what it hopes will be a first full operating season since 2019. A spokesperson says: “The pandemic has seen an increase in domestic tourism and we plan to build on this in our recovery from Covid.

“We launch two new attractions this year which are an important part of our Covid recovery programme, a reimagined Valhalla, and ENSŌ – spinning seats which have been added to ICON.

“2022 is also the first full year of operation of our newest hotel, The Boulevard. The Boulevard provides stylish accommodation for business and leisure guests and will support Blackpool’s new conference centre.”

In another boost to the visitor economy, the £30m-plus Winter Gardens Conference and Exhibition Centre opened its doors in February.

It provides 2,400sqm of event space to accommodate 2,000 visitors over two floors, and when integrated with the wider Winter Gardens’ complex, creates an overall delegate capacity of 7,000.

It means the Winter Gardens can provide 12 distinct venues, all under one roof, offering a total of 4.9 acres of connected conference, meeting, events and exhibition space. The centre is set to host the Conservative Party’s spring conference this month.

Michael Williams, Winter Gardens managing director, says: “Blackpool is transforming with hundreds of millions of pounds being invested in new hotels, office space, attractions, transport infrastructure and the built environment. All of which will help enhance its appeal as a business and leisure destination.

“We are extremely proud that our new conference and exhibition venue will play a vital role attracting a wide range of visitors to Blackpool and enhancing the local economy. While the conferencing and events sector is competitive, we’re already seeing a healthy demand.”

The investment in the visitor economy continues to gather momentum. Work is ongoing to build a nine screen, 850-seat multi-media centre, which will include the biggest immersive screen in Lancashire.

Alongside cinema screenings, this as yet unnamed flexible leisure, business and entertainment destination – part of the £20m Houndshill centre extension - will offer conference spaces and will be able to host live theatre and other events.

John Sullivan, founder of operator MMC Cinemas, says: “This is a real statement of intent for Blackpool. There is really nothing like a British seaside destination and Blackpool is the queen of them all.

“We want to part of that renaissance we are seeing and are delighted to be part of the growing investment in the town.”

Enjoyed this? Read more from Ged Henderson

Latest news

1

PM+M welcomes ten new apprentices for 2025 intake Lucy Field, Kate Walsh, Ellie Fisher, Zainab Aswat, Reece Jones, Aisha Bibi Patel, Finley Vila, Uzair Zariwala, Richard Prest, and Charlie Harrison

PM+M welcomes ten new apprentices for 2025 intake

11 Sep 2025

2

ROCCIA strengthens commercial division with senior appointment Andrew Grove

ROCCIA strengthens commercial division with senior appointment

11 Sep 2025

3

Final call for investors: Rossendale community solar project must hit target by November Gary McEwan managing director of Interfloor

Final call for investors: Rossendale community solar project must hit target by November

10 Sep 2025

4

Lancashire Combined County Authority unveil plan to Get Lancashire Working Lancashire Combined Authority

Lancashire Combined County Authority unveil plan to Get Lancashire Working

10 Sep 2025

5

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and BAE Systems’ FalconWorks announce strategic collaboration Collaboration between BAE Systems FalconWorks and Lockheed Martin Skunk Works

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and BAE Systems’ FalconWorks announce strategic collaboration

09 Sep 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
Sub36 Networking - Follow the signs
Sub36 Deaf Village Social1200
Networking
17 Sep 2025

Sub36 Networking - Follow the signs

The Deaf Village, Blackburn, BB2 5EN

10:00 - 12:00

LBV124 September/October Launch Event
MBP Arc Cinema Preston Opening 205
Networking
18 Sep 2025

LBV124 September/October Launch Event

The Arc Cinema, Preston, PR1 2BL

08:30 - 10:30

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Longridge Soap Box Derby
Screenshot 2025-06-10 090035.png.png
LBV Hub Fundraisers
14 Sep 2025 - 14 Sep 2025

Longridge Soap Box Derby

Berry Lane, Longridge, PR3 3WH

10:00 - 16:30

Preston Tech Connection - The Ultimate Tech Quiz!
Preston Tech Connection Sept 25.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
16 Sep 2025 - 16 Sep 2025

Preston Tech Connection - The Ultimate Tech Quiz!

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 19:00

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
17 Sep 2025 - 17 Sep 2025

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire

Stanley House, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

11:30 - 14:15

Cumbria Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880461633-4862066883-1-original.20241022-110415.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
19 Sep 2025 - 19 Sep 2025

Cumbria Business Expo 2025

Carlisle Racecourse, Carlisle, CA2 4TS

09:00 - 15:00

Your Business, Your Region: Making sense of devolution and Local Government Reorganisation
Chorley Council breakfast event new
LBV Hub Networking
23 Sep 2025 - 23 Sep 2025

Your Business, Your Region: Making sense of devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

Worden Hall, Leyland, PR25 3DH

08:00 - 11:00

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: September
Sept Freelancer (1).png.png
LBV Hub Networking
23 Sep 2025 - 23 Sep 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: September

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Speed Networking with BNI
2.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
24 Sep 2025 - 24 Sep 2025

Speed Networking with BNI

Chorley Football Club, Chorley, PR7 3DU

16:00 - 19:00

The Marketing Meetup IRL: Lancashire - September
TMM Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
25 Sep 2025 - 25 Sep 2025

The Marketing Meetup IRL: Lancashire - September

Chorley, PR7 2SL

18:00 - 20:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV 123 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin