The major study which tracked visits to the region’s attractions and accommodation providers throughout 2024 has shown an increase in the number of people staying overnight in the region, as England’s first Destination Development Partnership continues work on ambitions to unlock growth across the visitor economy.

Visitor economy leaders have welcomed the uplift in overnight stays, which it attributes to the region’s activity and amplification in international markets, including Italy, India, Germany, the US as well as Nordic countries, a comprehensive travel trade programme, investment in new attractions and a bumper year for business events and conferences.

Growth in overnight visits has been reported right across the region’s seven local authority areas, indicating more people are visiting the region for longer, with the average length of stays also up across the patch.

Newcastle and Gateshead

Newcastle & Gateshead have seen the biggest increase, with visitors choosing to stay overnight in the city - up 2.4% on the previous year, a 9.6% increase over 2019’s figures. It is hoped that new luxury accommodation like the recently opened Dakota on the Quayside and the city’s first 5-Star Gotham Hotel which opens later this year will attract more overnight visitors keen to indulge in the new premium offer.

Sunderland

Sunderland has also seen its overnight visits increase, building on a strong performance in 2023. The seaside city – which has fallen under a national spotlight recently as a hidden gem for short breaks - welcomed 840,000 overnight visitors in 2024, and this is further boosted with the recent launch of a ten-year tourism strategy and a dedicated seafront BID to champion its renowned coastline and ever-transforming Riverside Sunderland.

North and South Tyneside

North Tyneside’s distinctive visitor economy provision which includes a raft of premium hospitality spots and unique active tourism experiences centred around the coast has seen its overnight visitors generate a significant uptick in economic impact, a whopping 46% increase over pre-pandemic levels.

Across the water, South Tyneside has also seen a small increase in its overnight visitors, with the area continuing to invest in its visitor offer with free events like the popular This is South Tyneside festival, and the iconic finish line of The Great North Run attracting thousands of visitors to the coast.

Durham & Northumberland

Significant investment in new and refreshed attractions in both Durham and Northumberland has contributed to positive increases in both overnight and day-visitor numbers, with new attractions like The Auckland Project in County Durham and Ad Gefrin in Northumberland leading the charge. Multi-million-pound developments at the region’s most visited attraction Beamish Museum have also helped Durham attract over 21.6 million visitors in 2024.

As a result of the investment, both counties in addition to overnight visitor growth have also seen a big leap in the number of day visitors, up 7.5% and 4.1% respectively. Meanwhile, Northumberland has recorded significant growth in the economic contribution made from its 1.883 million staying visitors, recording an 11.7% increase over last year, and 5.9% higher than 2019's pre-pandemic levels.

Economic Impact

This in turn has had an effect on the overall economic impact of the sector, which is now worth over £6.6 billion to the North East’s economy, despite the cost of living and wider economic factors continuing to squeeze consumer spending.

Day visits are down however in other parts of the region, which has led to a decrease in the overall number of visits to North East England. Challenges with tracking visits to the region’s beaches, parks and open spaces mean day visits to some of our most cherished tourism assets are not fully represented in the data.

Despite difficult trading conditions for tourism and hospitality businesses, the sector continues to support a large number of jobs with over 62,800 people employed in roles across the industry.

Whilst the industry has plenty of reasons to celebrate, the mixed picture overall demonstrates the need for continued investment and the development of new product and experiences across the visitor economy. Targeted and strategic business support, international amplification, investment in skills, driving excellence and quality and a coordinated approach that maximises the potential of both local delivery and regional initiatives simultaneously will also be a focus for visitor economy leaders over the coming years.

Indications from industry suggest a dip in leisure and weekend travel in April and May of 2025. Further efforts to address these challenges, including a dedicated weekend taskforce and plans to capitalise on the area’s creative, cultural and sporting assets and their power to attract major events to the region are already in motion.

The visitor economy features heavily in the North East Combined Authority’s Interim Local Growth Plan which provides a roadmap for how a devolved North East will approach its growth targets over the coming years. The North East Combined Authority, in parallel with Destination North East England has ambitions to increase value of the visitor economy to £10bn by 2034.