One of the UK’s leading caravan and motorhome dealerships is underlining the huge contribution that the tourism industry makes to the Shropshire economy.

To celebrate English Tourism Week from March 17 to 26, Shrewsbury-based Salop Leisure is highlighted just how important tourism is to the town and county.

The multi-award-winning company attracts around half a million visitors every year to its headquarters at Emstrey where it has Love Coffee restaurant and Love Plants specialist plants centre in addition to its award-winning caravan and motorhome dealership. 

Alongside the dealership is the company’s Love2Stay resort, with a glamping village with 35 lodges, touring caravan park with 124 pitches and an adventure centre. The popular, award-winning resort generates £2.85 million annually for the local economy.

“Tourism makes a massive economic contribution to Shrewsbury and Shropshire in terms of the money spent in the town and county by visitors and the number of people employed in the industry and associated supply chain businesses,” said Ed Glover, Salop Leisure’s marketing manager.

“We and other tourism businesses in Shropshire are gearing up for another busy year as we expect the staycationing boom to continue strongly which is great news for the county.” 

The theme of this year’s English Tourism Week is ‘Celebrating amazing experiences and amazing people’. The theme highlights the role played by wonderful people working in the sector and how they ensure visitors have amazing experiences and add to the vibrancy of local communities.

Making up 80% of the UK’s visitor economy, English tourism in 2019 generated more than £100 billion a year and supported 2.6 million jobs. Tourism spend in the West Midlands was £6.2 billion. The industry is a major employer of school leavers and young people, as well as an incubator for entrepreneurs and innovation.  

In the latest domestic consumer research, 31% of respondents indicated that they are more likely to choose a trip in the UK than overseas, compared to pre-pandemic. the top reason - 60% - being that UK holidays are easier to plan.

During the week, tourism businesses are encouraged to engage with politicians at all levels to raise awareness of the sector’s contribution to the local, regional and national economies.