LEICESTER'S RENAISSANCE SHOWCASED IN NEW VISITOR GUIDE
Visitor guide aims to pitch Leicester to the 14 million Brits expected to holiday in the UK this year
A new visitor guide has been produced to showcase Leicester's leisure and tourism renaissance to the thriving UK ‘staycation' market. According to research conducted by travelsupermarket.com, 14 million Brits are planning to take breaks within the UK this year rather than holiday abroad*. The creators of the guide, Leicester Shire Promotions - the official Destination Management Organisation for Leicester and Leicestershire, aim to capitalise on the trend by pitching the city's newly revived short break offering via the freely-available visitor resource.
Described in the 2009 Lonely Planet guide as being "filled with the sense of excitement", Leicester
has recently undergone a major £3 billion regeneration scheme, completely transforming its leisure and tourism positioning. Autumn 2008 saw the opening of the new £350 million Highcross Leicester retail and leisure development - propelling the city into the elite of UK shopping destinations, and the iconic, Rapheal Vinoly-designed Curve theatre, seen by many as Europe's most exciting cultural project.
To reflect the area's ‘new' and existing diverse tourism facets, the guide is split into themes including Family fun - with top tips on what to do with the kids, Shopping - with a particular focus on Highcross Leicester and the Leicester Lanes, Theatre and museums - which includes the autumn programme of the city's new Curve theatre, and Festivals & events - with information on Leicester's nationally renowned events such the Summer Sundae Weekender.
The guide also contains exclusive promotional accommodation offers for weekend breaks to Leicester at hotels such as Hotel Maiyango and The Belmont Hotel - set to appeal to the massive 17 per cent of Brits who are motivated to holiday in the UK due to the good short break deals on offer*.
Copies of the guide are available from the Leicester Tourist Information Centre (TIC) in Leicester's Town Hall Square and official TICs across the county. Copies can also be requested online from the official online visitor guide to Leicester and Leicestershire, www.goleicestershire.com or by telephoning (0844) 888 5181.
Martin Peters, Chief Executive of Leicester Shire Promotions, said: "The emergence of the ‘staycation' trend is one of the biggest boosts the UK tourism industry had had in living memory. This inspiring new visitor guide to Leicester aims to sell the city's remarkable new leisure and short break offering to this growing and lucrative visitor market."
Notes to Editors:
*All figures taken from research carried out on behalf of travelsupermarket.com by Opinium between 17-20 April 2009, among 2,013 adults residing in the UK. Population figures based on UK adult population of 48.8million sourced from ONS.
Leicester Shire Promotions' new visitor guide is part of the ongoing national marketing campaign to promote the transformation of Leicester to the short break visitor market. Last year the campaign generated over 3,200 overnight visitors to the destination.
About Leicester Shire Promotions:
Leicester Shire Promotions is a private, not-for-profit company formed in July 2003 as a partnership between Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council and the Leicester Shire Economic Partnership. The company is the Destination Management Organisation (DMO) responsible for promoting Leicester and Leicestershire to visitors, based on a coordinated place marketing strategy that focuses on destination leadership and coordination, attracting visitors, services for visitors, and services for the tourism industry. For more information, please visit www.goleicestershire.com
For further media information, please contact:
Nimisha Mehta
Leicester Shire Promotions
T: 0116 225 4063
nimisha.mehta@l-p-l.com