West Midlands awarded special status to help grow tourism

Leading figures from the West Midlands have welcomed the news that the region is one of 12 new destinations to gain a special status aimed at boosting tourism.

An agreement between VisitEngland and West Midlands Growth Company will see a new Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) formed representing Birmingham, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton.

The Birmingham, Solihull and the Black Country LVEP aims to give destinations a voice at a national level, using its new status to shape national strategy and activities, and roll them out regionally.

Andrew Lovett, Chair of the West Midlands Tourism and Hospitality Advisory Board

The partnership with VisitEngland will give access to expert advice, as well as dedicated toolkits and training programmes, enabling the partnership to better support the region’s visitor facing businesses.

Andrew Lovett, chair of the West Midlands Tourism and Hospitality Advisory Board, which reports to the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), said: “This is welcome news for the world class venues of Birmingham, Solihull and the Black Country.

"Having a say in national policy, and how it is delivered locally, is crucial to ensuring brilliant visitor experiences.”

Neil Rami, chief executive of the West Midlands Growth Company, added: “The Commonwealth Games in 2022 showed the world just how much the West Midlands has to offer.

"Achieving LVEP status will help us to build that profile even further, and to steer the discussions and implement policies that will build sustainable growth for our visitor economy businesses.”