New data reveals that tourism was worth a record-breaking £1.443 billion to Northumberland’s economy in 2024.

There were nearly 10.5 million visitors and the economic figures reflect a 9% increase on 2023 and a 3.2% rise compared to the previous 2019 pre-Covid record once adjusted for inflation.

This success is also mirrored in the direct expenditure, which stands at £1.071 billion, marking an 8.8% rise on 2023 and 3.1% up on 2019.

In particular, staying visitors have shown notable growth. In 2024, the number of overnight visitors increased by 0.5% on 2023 to 1.863 million with an extension in average length of stay to 4.2 nights.

Northumberland attracted nearly 10.5 million visitors in 2024.

placeholder image — Northumberland attracted nearly 10.5 million visitors in 2024.

Visitor days from these staying grew by 2.8% to 7.874 million, indicative of a growing trend of visitors staying longer and doing more in the region.

Simultaneously, the county saw a strong uplift in day visitors, with visitor numbers reaching 8.601 million in 2024, representing a 4.1% increase on 2023.

“We are incredibly proud of the growth in both day and staying visitors, the increased length of stay, and the higher economic value generated by tourism in 2024,” commented Andrew Fox, chairman of Visit Northumberland.

“To have achieved this post-pandemic economic recovery a year ahead of forecast is a testament to the hard work of our tourism sector, where businesses are not only engaging more with Visit Northumberland but also investing in higher-level partnerships that benefit everyone.”

The figures are included in the annual STEAM report, which measures and analyses local data collated throughout the recording year.

Visit Northumberland has focussed efforts on attracting new visitor audiences through proactive destination marketing campaigns and a wide-ranging business development programme.

Cllr Wendy Pattison, Northumberland County Council’s portfolio holder for tourism, said: “This is fantastic news. Growth in the sector and growing business engagement reflects the vibrant and welcoming environment we have cultivated in Northumberland.”

The economic impact of food and drink remains the most significant, accounting for 45.9% of the total economic impact, or around £662 million, and supporting 5,018 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs.

Encouragingly, employment in the tourism sector remained buoyant. Direct tourism employment in 2024 was 11,594 FTEs, with total employment across the sector stood at 14,545 FTEs, showing a 0.7% decrease from the previous year.