Visitor rise is boost to Melton's economy

The data shows the number of visitors has risen by 12 per cent over the last three years (up six per cent since 2014), and a six per cent rise in the amount of money generated within the local economy through visitor and tourism business expenditure (compared to 2014).

The figures for Melton have been published by the Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor (STEAM), allowing Melton Council and its partners to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of tourism activity and expenditure and to ensure actions, strategies and campaigns will bring the maximum economic benefit to the town and borough as well as creating a vibrant and attractive visitor destination.

Melton town centre manager Lisa Brown said: “The figures show a good steady rise in tourism from 2014, in fact, a good increase year on year.

This can be accredited to the enhanced services and promotion that Melton Promotions are operating with including targeted marketing to group travel organisers to increase day visits and the expansion of the Gourmet Short Break Taste campaign to attract the staying visitor.”

The overwhelming majority of visitors to the Melton area last year (about 1.5m people) were ‘day visitors’. These people, classed as those visiting on a ‘non-routine and non-regular leisure day trip’, generated £53.4m for the economy.

In terms of ‘staying visitors’, the figures show this is an area with room for improvement, with 176,000 people staying in the Melton area for one or more nights last year. This figure (11 per cent of all visitors) is similar to the proportion of staying visitors since 2011, the report says.

Melton Promotions will continue to develop and deliver initiatives aimed at boosting visitor numbers, staying visitors in particular, and the council is working with partners to increase awareness of Melton’s offer for visitors on a regional and national level. The Melton Tourism Blueprint 2015-18 has been developed by Melton Promotions, in partnership with other key bodies, to improve the town’s economy and tourism offer.