The visitor economy accounts for a significant number of local jobs, equating to 7.6% in North East Lincolnshire, and generates an income of around £0.5 billion to the area each year.
Millions of people visit North East Lincolnshire each year (11m, STEAM report, 2022), bringing with them a visitor economy worth in the region of £636 million (STEAM report, 2022).
Due to our industrial sectors in our major towns, North East Lincolnshire attracts thousands of business visitors and around three million tourists choose to visit Cleethorpes each year. This business growth has encouraged major national hotel chains and retailers to invest heavily in the borough.
The largest shopping centre in Lincolnshire, Freshney Place. For a more boutique shopping experience, Abbeygate in Grimsby and Seaview Street in Cleethorpes offer quality branded fashion choices and a thriving cafe culture.
The regeneration projects taking place in Grimsby and Cleethorpes will further support and strengthen the local Visitor Economy.
Humberside Airport is a short 20 minute drive away, connecting North East Lincolnshire to the rest of the world. There are three flights a day, seven days a week between the airport and Schiphol, Amsterdam, and it also boasts the UK’s second largest helicopter hub, with three of the largest helicopter operators in Europe basing their operations there. One operator alone already sees around 1,000 helicopter flights a month carry workers to and from the North Sea offshore gas platforms. A further hotel is planned to be built at the airport.
Learn more about the visitor economy, activities and what’s going on in the region at Discover North East Lincolnshire.
VESR (Visitor Economy, Services and Retail) Group
VESR is the private sector led team created by North East Lincolnshire Council, to champion the sector and drive the vision and strategy for growth in this area of the North East Lincolnshire (NEL) economy.
The group works hard to make a difference and with other established groups to maximise and support cohesive development and growth in the Visitor Economy, (business visitors and tourism), Professional Services and Retail across North East Lincolnshire and delivers on the council’s dual commitments to a stronger economy and stronger communities.
VESR was responsible for securing a DCLG grant to develop a new coastal communities team, CoastNEL which will look at issues facing the borough. This will bring the town and the coast together to develop a plan for managing the economies of our varied coastal area.
