Southport sees £500m tourism boost
A record nine million visitors have come to the resort in the past year
Southport's celebrating after it's been revealed almost 9 million people visited the area last year - bringing more than £500 million to the resort.
With huge crowds recorded at this year's Southport Flower Show and at the Open Golf at Royal Birkdale, this year's numbers could be even higher.
The figures are some of the findings from a new report which also shows there was a record 8.7 million visitors to the resort last year.
The figures also reveal a four per cent increase in staying visitors of 722, 000, which contributes to 6,449 jobs (an increase of 1.4%).
Cllr Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council's Labour Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, said: "As is shown in the report, we've had a an exceptional year for tourism in Southport, and we have still got lots of exciting events coming up, such as the Southport Air Show and the British Musical Fireworks Championship.
"Thanks to a fantastic and varied programme of events, and working alongside our partners and local businesses, there is so much choice for everyone, plus the high calibre of activities keep visitors coming back time after time.
"We're thrilled to report on the success of our efforts, which equates to an economic impact of £518 million last year, a growth of over 4 per cent from the previous year.
"Tourism is a key priority for us, as it helps to provide employment and boosts the local economy. and we will continue to promote Sefton as a great place to visit, explore and enjoy."