Coventry’s visitor economy has surpassed the £1 billion mark for the first time, with new data revealing that visitors generated a record £1.009 billion in economic impact during 2025. The milestone highlights the growing contribution of tourism, events, culture, sport, hospitality and leisure to the local economy.
12.6 Million Visitors Travelled to Coventry in 2025
Coventry welcomed approximately 12.6 million visitors in 2025, representing a 6.5% increase compared with the previous year. At the same time, the economic value generated by visitors increased by 9.3%, demonstrating stronger growth in visitor spending alongside rising visitor numbers.
The latest figures are based on the STEAM Economic Impact Model, a recognised methodology used to assess visitor numbers, spending and the wider economic contribution of tourism and visitor activity.
Visitor Economy Doubles Since 2016
Crossing the £1 billion threshold represents more than a single-year milestone for Coventry. The latest figures show that the city’s visitor economy has doubled since 2016, reflecting sustained growth in its appeal as a destination for major events, cultural experiences, sport, entertainment and leisure.
Major events and attractions have played an important role in driving visitor activity. Concerts featuring artists including Tom Grennan, Bob Dylan and Ed Sheeran contributed to visitor numbers, while improving attendances at Coventry City FC matches also supported activity across the local visitor economy.
Major Events Strengthen Coventry’s Visitor Appeal
Sporting events have also become an important part of Coventry’s visitor proposition. The Kabbadi World Cup was among the events held in the city, attracting additional audiences and contributing to the wider economic activity generated by visitors.
The continued arrival of major sporting, entertainment and cultural events provides opportunities for Coventry to attract visitors from outside the city while encouraging spending across accommodation, hospitality, retail, leisure and entertainment businesses.
Visitor Economy Supports 8,330 Full-Time Employees
The growth of Coventry’s visitor economy is also supporting employment. Visitor-related activity supported approximately 8,330 full-time employees in 2025, an increase of 2.6% compared with the previous year.
This represented the second consecutive year of employment growth, demonstrating that the economic contribution of tourism and events extends beyond visitor spending. Hotels, restaurants, attractions, venues, retailers and other businesses connected to the visitor economy all benefit from increased demand.
Conference and Events Sector Records Strong Growth
Coventry has also experienced significant growth in its conference and events business sector. Several venues across the city reported year-on-year increases in revenues and delegate numbers, highlighting the growing contribution of business events to the local economy.
The expansion of conferences and events provides another source of visitor demand for Coventry. Delegates attending conferences, meetings and other business events can generate additional spending on accommodation, food and drink, transport, entertainment and local attractions.
Day Visitors Account for Majority of Visits
Day visitors continued to account for the largest proportion of Coventry’s visitor numbers in 2025. Around 11.1 million day visits were recorded during the year.
Overnight visitors represented approximately 12% of total visits, but they generated a substantially larger share of the economic impact. Overnight visitors were responsible for around 39% of the total visitor economy impact.
Overnight Stays Present Further Growth Opportunity
The difference between visitor volume and economic contribution highlights the potential value of encouraging more visitors to stay overnight in Coventry.
Longer stays can generate additional spending across hotels, alternative accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment venues and other local businesses. Increasing overnight visitor numbers is therefore expected to remain an important opportunity for the city’s visitor economy.
Non-Serviced Accommodation Sees 14.3% Growth
Non-serviced accommodation recorded particularly strong growth during 2025. Visitor numbers using this type of accommodation increased by 14.3% to 229,000, while its economic impact reached approximately £80 million.
The increase reflects changing accommodation demand and highlights the importance of having a diverse range of places for visitors to stay as Coventry continues to develop its tourism and events sectors.
Hotels Generate £177 Million in Economic Impact
Serviced accommodation, including hotels, generated approximately £177 million in economic impact during 2025.
Accommodation plays an important role in converting visitor numbers into wider economic value, particularly when visitors remain in the city for multiple nights. Increasing accommodation capacity could therefore support Coventry’s ambitions to attract larger events and encourage longer visitor stays.
Food and Drink Leads Visitor Spending
Food and drink represented the largest category of visitor spending in Coventry during 2025, accounting for approximately 33% of total expenditure.
Shopping contributed another 29%, while recreation accounted for around 11%. The figures demonstrate that the visitor economy benefits a broad range of local businesses rather than being concentrated solely within tourism attractions.
Restaurants, cafés, retailers, leisure operators and entertainment businesses all contribute to and benefit from Coventry’s growing visitor economy.
Destination Coventry Highlights Collaborative Growth
Paul McMahon, managing director of Destination Coventry, described crossing the £1 billion economic impact threshold as a significant milestone for the city.
He credited the wider visitor economy, including hotels, attractions, venues, restaurants, cultural organisations, event organisers, businesses, partners and communities, for contributing to Coventry’s growth.
McMahon also said the milestone should be viewed as a starting point for further development, with opportunities to attract more visitors, encourage longer stays and create additional reasons for people to return to the city.
Coventry Looks to Strengthen National and International Profile
Destination Coventry has identified major events, the city’s growing profile and its developing visitor proposition as important opportunities for future growth.
The organisation is focusing on converting rising visitor interest into sustained economic benefits for businesses and communities across Coventry. Increasing visitor duration and encouraging repeat visits are among the areas that could contribute to future growth.
Premier League Promotion Adds New Visitor Opportunity
Coventry City FC’s promotion to the Premier League at the end of the 2025/26 season provides another potential opportunity for the city’s visitor economy.
Paul Michael, chair of Destination Coventry, said the promotion could increase Coventry’s national profile and create further potential visitor demand.
He also highlighted the importance of increasing overnight stays and supporting the development of accommodation capacity to meet future demand.
Employment Growth Highlights Wider Economic Benefits
The continued increase in visitor-related employment demonstrates the wider importance of Coventry’s tourism and events sectors. The addition of jobs alongside rising visitor numbers and economic impact indicates that growth is benefiting businesses and workers across multiple areas of the local economy.
The hospitality, accommodation, events, cultural and leisure sectors are particularly connected to visitor demand, creating opportunities for businesses to benefit as Coventry attracts more visitors.
Coventry Visitor Economy Enters New Phase of Growth
Lynnette Kelly, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change, said the latest figures demonstrate the vital role played by the visitor economy in supporting businesses, jobs and communities across Coventry.
She highlighted the city’s attractions, events, hospitality businesses and cultural experiences as key contributors to its growing appeal as a destination.
With visitor numbers reaching 12.6 million, economic impact exceeding £1 billion and visitor-supported employment rising to 8,330 full-time employees, Coventry’s visitor economy has recorded substantial growth.
£1 Billion Milestone Sets Foundation for Future Growth
Coventry’s record £1.009 billion visitor economy in 2025 marks a significant stage in the city’s development as a tourism, events, cultural and business destination.
The strong growth in visitor numbers and economic impact, combined with increasing conference and events activity, provides a platform for further expansion. At the same time, the high economic contribution of overnight visitors highlights an opportunity to increase accommodation capacity and encourage longer stays.
As Coventry builds on its growing national profile and major events calendar, the focus will increasingly be on turning visitor growth into sustained economic benefits for local businesses, employees and communities.
