West Yorkshire’s cultural momentum fuels £6.6bn visitor economy as 2025 figures highlight sustained growth

West Yorkshire’s visitor economy continued to grow in 2025 with new figures revealing that the region welcomed more than 74 million visitors last year, generating £6.63 billion for the local economy.

The latest STEAM* monitoring data for the region showed a 5.9% rise in the overall economic impact, fuelled by a 1.5% increase in total visits year-on-year.

Growth has been particularly strong in overnight stays, which rose by 3.5% to 7.71 million visits, contributing £2.11billion to the economy – an 8% increase on 2024. This is set against a national backdrop where overnight trips showed a decline year-on-year of 3%, according to data released by Visit Britain.

The data also highlighted day visitors reached 66.6 million and generated £4.52 billion.

The encouraging figures reflect the sustained impact and ongoing legacy of West Yorkshire’s recent landmark cultural programmes, including Kirklees Year of Music in 2023, LEEDS 2023, Wakefield’s Our Year in 2024, Calderdale’s Culturedale in 2025, and the transformative Bradford UK City of Culture 2025.

Underlining each West Yorkshire district’s moment in the limelight, the region has successfully positioned culture as part of its core infrastructure – with destinations such as the Bronte Parsonage, Harewood House, Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Piece Hall all central to its overall visitor experience offering.

Economic Impact Since 2022

• Overall, West Yorkshire has seen a financial uplift from tourism of 35.5% since 2022 – £6.62 billion in 2025 compared to £4.89 billion in 2022.
• In the same four year period, the region has seen overall visitor numbers rise by 9.6%, whilst the value of the visitor economy has grown by more than a third (35.5%) – all underlining the long-term economic return of investment in cultural infrastructure, programming and place-making.
• The value of day visits also increased with a 35.2% uplift since 2022 – growing from £3.34billion to £4.52billion in 2025.
• Overnight stays rose by 36.6%, contributing £2.11billion in 2025 compared to £1.55billion in 2022.
• The number of Full Time Employment (FTE) roles supported by the sector have increased by 13.7% since 2022 – from 47,148, to 53,584 in 2025.

Building on that momentum, West Yorkshire’s Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) will shortly be unveiling highlights of the West Yorkshire ‘Nature Season’ programme of cultural events taking place over late summer and autumn 2026. Involving all five districts, Nature Season follows the successful years of culture which put the region’s attractions firmly on the map as a distinctive and creative destination.

Events will include everything from large scale natural installations, community murals and planting projects, through to nature-linked music, arts, comedy and drama festivals.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire and Chair of the LVEP, said:

“These figures show what all of us feel – that our visitor economy is exploding, and that more and more people are flocking to our great region to experience everything it has to offer.

“From Bradford’s year as UK City of Culture to the lasting impact of Leeds 2023, Wakefield’s Our Year, Kirklees’ Year of Music and Culturedale, we’ve proved the doubters wrong and shown the country a different path for levelling up communities and delivering economic growth.

“By investing in the people and places that make our region what it is – from our stunning countryside to our world-class cultural attractions, venues and freelancers – we’re building a brighter West Yorkshire that everyone can see, hear and touch.”

Belinda Eldridge, Head of Destination Marketing and International Relations and West Yorkshire Local Visitor Economy Partnership Lead, said:

“The STEAM research provides compelling evidence that sustained investment in culture, visitor experiences and destination development delivers long-term economic benefits. While visitor numbers have grown by almost 10% since 2022, the value of the visitor economy has increased by more than a third, demonstrating that West Yorkshire is attracting higher levels of visitor spend and generating greater economic impact for local businesses and communities.”

“What makes West Yorkshire unique is the breadth of experiences available across the region – from internationally recognised attractions such as the Brontë Parsonage Museum, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Harewood House and The Piece Hall, to our vibrant cultural festivals, independent businesses, food and drink scene, and spectacular landscapes. The Years of Culture programmes have helped raise the profile of these assets and encouraged more people to explore the region.”

Chris Meehan, General Manager from Holdsworth House Hotel in Halifax, added: “It’s encouraging to see West Yorkshire continuing to attract more visitors and in particular, growth in overnight stays. At Holdsworth House, we know how important it is to have a strong and diverse visitor offer across the region. Strong partnerships between hospitality businesses, attractions and local organisations help create more reasons for people to visit and the more reasons people have to come to West Yorkshire, the greater the opportunity for businesses across the visitor economy to benefit.”

The research was carried out by Global Tourism Solutions UK using the industry-recognised STEAM model, which measures the economic impact of tourism through detailed analysis of local data, including visitor numbers, accommodation, events and expenditure.