England 12/08/2013 – The city of Liverpool has seen its tourism industry grow by an astonishing 91% in five years.
The Its Liverpool report found that the number of holidaymakers coming to the city has risen from 246,000, in 2007, to 471,000, in 2011. Over the same period, domestic visitor numbers have also gone up and today the city now sees 1.2 million visitors as opposed to just under a million, in 2007. Interestingly, this growth in visitor numbers is across the board with budget hotels in Liverpool as well as luxury and boutique hotels reporting rising occupancy rates.
For the budget traveller Liverpool is a great destination. The city has some very good quality budget hotels, many of which have been built in the past ten years. In addition, most of the older hotels were re-furbished in preparation for 2008, when the city was awarded European Capital of Culture status. This means that budget travellers now get access to very good quality accommodation.
There are plenty of free things for tourists to do in Liverpool. The Albert Dock, which has World Heritage Status, is a lively and vibrant place to enjoy a drink or a light snack. Going for a walk along the dock is a free pastime that many visitors to the city enjoy. Many book a tour of the Old Dock at the Maritime Museum. Both entry to the museum and the tour are free, as is entry to the Liverpool Tate and most other galleries and museums in the city.
Liverpool offers more than museums and art galleries
Importantly, Liverpool has more to offer the budget traveller than just old-fashioned tourist attractions. Many of its more modern and quirkier attractions are also free. The Super Lamb Banana is a great example, which attracts thousands of visitors each year.
The staff at the Holiday Inn Express Liverpool are regularly asked where Penny Lane is, and they are happy to oblige and point it out on the guest’s mapping App. Many visitors enjoy whiling away a day visiting the city’s famous music venues, many of which, like Penny Lane, are also free.