04/09/2026
Im not into politics but I do think Chris Webb seems to get stuff done n listen! Blackpool is on the up n up
Today I was proud to welcome Tourism Minister Stephanie Peacock MP Peacock to Blackpool and brave the Pleasure Beach Resort newest ride with me – in the rain! 🎢
As chair of the APPG for Tourism and Hospitality, I’ve spent two years telling Westminster why Blackpool deserves recognition and investment, so it meant a lot that the Minister chose us for her summer staycation.
We met Amanda Thompson at the Pleasure Beach Resort for a chat and a (soggy) spin on the brilliant new Aviktas ride, then headed to the Winter Gardens with head of Blackpool Tourism Ltd, Kate Shane.
Together we talked the minister through the opportunities in front of us and the challenges our tourism businesses are wrestling with.
Blackpool welcomed 23.2 million visitors last year, up 7.7% on the year before, generating £2.15 billion for the local economy and supporting more than 23,000 full-time jobs. Tourism is serious business here and this weekend we will get our fair share of the 10.6 million Brits planning a bank holiday staycation, worth an estimated £4.3 billion to the wider economy.
It’s also the last opportunity to enjoy the Great British Summer Savings so I hope locals get out and make the most of them this weekend – rain or shine! ☔️ ☀️ 🗼