If one message came through louder than any microphone on the day, it was this: the voices of our visitor economy matter.
Your feedback following the Liverpool City Region Tourism Summit 2026 has been thoughtful, constructive and incredibly valuable, and we want to take a moment to share the feedback we received with you.
Attendees celebrated the scale and significance of the tourism sector, along with a renewed clarity around the direction of the Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership.
Many welcomed the strengthened alignment with VisitBritain and VisitEngland, describing national insight and data as both timely and reassuring. Several people noted how encouraging it felt to see our region working seamlessly with the wider national landscape.
Networking was another strong positive. While the introductory session set the tone for early conversations, many of you said the post-event networking proved even more valuable. The chance to reconnect with people you had identified during the morning added real weight to the day and deepened the sense of shared purpose.
The panel discussions also had a strong impact. Attendees valued the opportunity to hear from influential voices and to see the depth and breadth of expertise represented. In particular, the debate around the Liverpool City Region’s proposed Overnight Visitor Levy was highly informative, with delegate feedback shared with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to help inform and shape future plans.
Others shared that they would welcome even more, whether through additional panels, greater private sector representation or smaller breakout discussions. The appetite for more dialogue and more opportunities to contribute was clear, and this is something we are already exploring as we plan ahead.
We also heard candid observations about areas where we can elevate future events. Several attendees, unfortunately, experienced issues with sound and acoustics, particularly during the panel segment.
Others felt there could have been more opportunities for interaction and that the format sometimes leaned more towards delivering information than exchanging it. A few highlighted that the event overrun affected their ability to attend the full programme. These insights are essential, and they will directly inform our planning around venues, timing and audience engagement.
Importantly, even where constructive criticism was offered, the overall tone remained highly positive. You valued the content, the opportunity to connect, the access to national partners and the collective ambition that underpinned every conversation. Many of you asked for more events, including future annual or bi-annual updates or sessions dedicated purely to networking and idea generation.
Reflecting on the importance of your feedback, Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership Managing Director, Natalie Wyatt offered her own thoughts on how invaluable these insights are for the region.
“One of the most powerful things we can do as a region is to listen carefully to the people who shape our visitor economy every day. Feedback is not just a post-event exercise; it is the foundation that helps us refine our strategy, push our ambitions further and build events that genuinely serve the needs of our industry. When people take the time to share their views, we have a responsibility to turn that insight into meaningful action. That is how we grow, that is how we stay relevant, and that is how we continue to lead with confidence and collaboration.”
To explore more about the Liverpool City Region Tourism Summit 2026, you can read the full event overview HERE and learn more about the information that underpinned the event, along with its brochure and film HERE.