MEDIA RELEASE
Coventry’s visitor economy has smashed through the £1 billion mark for the first time.
New data shows that 12.6 million people visited the city in 2025, generating a record impact of £1.009 billion for the local economy.
The figures, using the trusted STEAM (Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Measure) Economic Impact Model, show that visitor numbers were up 6.5 per cent compared to the previous year and that that value to the economy jumped by 9.3 per cent.
Passing £1 billion is a landmark itself but is also evidence that the visitor economy has doubled since 2016 with major events, cultural experiences, sport and leisure proving to be a major pull to the city, providing a platform for further growth.
It also has a positive impact on employment, by supporting 8,330 full-time employees in 2025, up 2.6 per cent on the previous year, representing a second consecutive year of employment growth.
Gigs by Tom Grennan, Bob Dylan and Ed Sheeran through to Coventry City’s improving attendances impacted the figures as well as events such as the Kabbadi World Cup coming to the city.
The region has also seen a dramatic improvement with the conference and events business sector with many venues reporting a year of year growth in revenues and delegate numbers demonstrating Coventry’s strength in this area.
Paul McMahon, managing director of Destination Coventry – the city’s destination management organisation (DMO), said: “Reaching more than £1 billion in economic impact is a hugely significant milestone for Coventry, but what makes this achievement particularly powerful is the journey behind it.
“This is the result of the ambition, resilience and collaboration of our visitor economy, from our hotels, attractions, venues, restaurants and cultural organisations to our event organisers, businesses, partners and communities who collectively bring Coventry to life.
“We should be proud of how far we have come, but we should also see this as a starting point, not a finish line. The growth in visitors, employment and economic value demonstrates the strength of Coventry’s offer and the appetite for what our city has to give.
“Now, our opportunity is to build on that momentum, attracting more visitors, encouraging them to stay longer, creating more reasons to return and unlocking even greater value for our businesses and communities.
“The next chapter is about turning this momentum into sustained, ambitious growth. With major events, a growing profile and an increasingly compelling visitor proposition, Coventry has a real opportunity to establish itself even more firmly on the national and international stage.
“This £1 billion milestone belongs to everyone who has helped get us here and together, we can use it to propel the city towards an even more successful future.”
Day visitors continued to provide the greatest volume, accounting for 11.1 million visits, while overnight visitors represented 12 per cent of all visits. Overnight visitors, however, generated 39 per cent of the total economic impact, highlighting the significant opportunity to encourage more visitors to stay in the city.
There was particularly strong growth in non-serviced accommodation, with visitor numbers increasing by 14.3 per cent to 229,000 and economic impact rising to £80 million.
Meanwhile, serviced accommodation – including hotels – generated £177 million in economic impact.
Food and drink accounted for 33 per cent of spend, while shopping was worth 29 per cent. Recreation was worth 11 per cent.
Paul Michael, chair of Destination Coventry, said: “On nearly every measurement, we are performing extremely well compared to the wider region.
“With Coventry City FC securing promotion to the Premier League at the end of the 2025/26 season, the city is also entering a new period of opportunity, with the increased national profile and potential visitor demand providing further scope for the visitor economy to grow.
“The latest results demonstrate both the progress already made and the opportunities still ahead, particularly in increasing overnight stays and supporting the development of accommodation capacity to meet future demand.
“As Coventry looks towards its next chapter, continued collaboration across the visitor economy will be central to converting the city’s growing profile into sustained economic benefit.”
Lynnette Kelly, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change, said: “These figures demonstrate the vital role the visitor economy plays in supporting businesses, jobs and communities across Coventry.
“Reaching this milestone reflects the strength and diversity of what the city has to offer, with our attractions, events, hospitality and cultural experiences all contributing to a thriving visitor economy.
“The continued growth in employment is particularly encouraging and shows that the benefits of attracting visitors are being felt beyond the headline economic figures.
“As we look ahead, there is a real opportunity to build on this success, ensuring Coventry continues to develop as a welcoming and vibrant destination while creating further opportunities for local businesses and communities to benefit from future growth.”
Pictured (left to right): Paul McMahon (managing director of Destination Coventry), Cllr Lynette Kelly (Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change) and Paul Michael (chair of Destination Coventry).