New figures have revealed that the economic impact of tourism in Leicester and Leicestershire reached £2.676 billion in 2025.
The figure represents annual growth of 4.62%, up from £2.558 billion in 2024, despite a challenging trading environment for tourism and hospitality businesses.
More than 32.5 million people visited the city and county in 2025, an increase of 1.65% on the previous year’s figure of 32.04 million. The 2024 figure had itself been 2.4% higher than in 2023.
Of the 2025 visitor total, Leicestershire welcomed 21.95 million visitors, while 10.62 million people visited Leicester.
The number of visitor days also rose to 40.17 million, up 1.67% on the 2024 figure of 39.51 million. This included 25.67 million visitor days in the county and 14.5 million in the city.
The growth comes against a challenging national backdrop, with VisitEngland figures showing that domestic tourism struggled in the first half of the year, with trips down 7% compared with 2024.
The latest figures also show that tourism-related employment remained largely stable. More than 22,959 people were employed in the visitor economy across Leicester and Leicestershire, a decrease of 174 jobs on 2024.
The 0.75% dip in employment suggests Leicester’s visitor economy has remained resilient despite national economic pressures affecting the hospitality and tourism sectors.
The tourism figures for Leicester and Leicestershire are taken from the 2025 Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor survey. A full 12 months of data is required before the figures can be compiled, meaning the data relates to the previous year.
The results have been welcomed by Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council, both of which support the Local Visitor Economy Partnership for Leicester and Leicestershire, known as Visit Leicester.
Visit Leicester is the VisitEngland-accredited team responsible for promoting tourism across the city and county.
Cllr Vi Dempster, Assistant City Mayor for Culture at Leicester City Council, said: “Tourism makes a huge contribution to our local economy, which is why it’s essential we continue to invest in our city centre, promote our heritage, and support our tourism and hospitality sector.
“With 10.62 million visitors to the city last year, Leicester is attracting significant interest in our cultural, festival and heritage offer. We are working hard through our Volunteer Tourism Ambassador programme to ensure visitors are welcomed and given the information they need to get the most from their visit. I am confident that we will be welcoming many more visitors to the city in the future.”
Councillor Kevin Crook, Leicestershire County Council deputy leader and cabinet member for tourism, said: “As a county Leicestershire is lucky to have both a history and range of attractions, so to see nearly 22 million visitors last year is fantastic news.
“Making both the county and the city attractive to visitors means our local businesses and employers can continue to thrive – that’s why we’re working to ensure Visit Leicester keeps showcasing what we have to offer.”
Erika Hardy, Chair of the Local Visitor Economy Partnership Advisory Board for Leicester and Leicestershire, said: “We are so proud of what we have to offer visitors and were delighted to launch our new Tourism Growth Plan earlier this year to build on our local pride and strong partnerships. It’s great to see visitor numbers are growing which are so important for our local economy.”
The figures highlight the continued importance of tourism to Leicester and Leicestershire’s wider economy, supporting local businesses, jobs, attractions, hospitality venues and destination development across the city and county.
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