Liverpool City Region will exhibit at the Annual Hospitality Conference 2026 to highlight record visitor economy growth, strong hotel performance and a pipeline of hospitality, regeneration and destination development opportunities across Knowsley, Sefton and Halton.
The region will present its growing hospitality investment proposition to national investors, developers, operators and hospitality brands at the Annual Hospitality Conference (AHC) 2026, taking place on 14-15 September at Manchester Central Convention Complex.
Exhibiting at Stand 62, Liverpool City Region will showcase a range of investment opportunities spanning hotels, leisure, food and beverage, visitor attractions, mixed-use development and destination regeneration projects. Delegates will also be invited to attend the ‘Liverpool Meets’, a dedicated networking event designed to connect investors and operators with senior place leaders and investment specialists from across the region.
The region arrives at AHC 2026 with a compelling growth story. Liverpool City Region welcomed a record 61.5 million visitors, generated £6.83 billion in visitor economy value and achieved hotel occupancy levels of 76.5%, underlining the strength of demand across both leisure and business tourism markets. These figures are helping drive growing investor interest in hospitality and accommodation development across the region.
Under the campaign banner “Liverpool City Region. Worth Staying For.”, the delegation will highlight how sustained investment in regeneration, cultural assets, visitor attractions and placemaking is creating significant opportunities for hospitality operators and investors seeking exposure to one of the UK’s strongest regional visitor economies.
Opportunities being promoted at the conference include hotel development, destination-led regeneration projects, leisure and visitor attractions, food and beverage concepts, waterfront investment locations and mixed-use schemes designed to unlock long-term economic growth.
Investors are being encouraged to discover a diverse portfolio of opportunities across the region, ranging from Prescot Picture Palace and St Michael’s Place in Huyton to the transformational Kirkby Gateway scheme. The spotlight will also fall on Southport’s landmark Marine Lake Events Centre, alongside major regeneration initiatives in Bootle Town Centre and Bootle Strand. Further investment opportunities focused on town centre renewal, innovation-led regeneration and visitor attractions, including the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre & Museum, will be showcased throughout the event.
Liverpool City Region’s presence at AHC also reflects a collaborative approach to economic development, bringing together expertise from Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Invest Liverpool City Region and local authority partners to promote a shared vision for sustainable growth, investment attraction and destination development.
Natalie Wyatt, Managing Director of Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership, said:
“Liverpool City Region’s visitor economy is one of the UK’s great success stories. Record visitor numbers, strong hotel performance and growing international recognition are creating exceptional conditions for investment across hospitality, accommodation, leisure and destination development.
“What makes the opportunity particularly compelling is the depth and diversity of the market. From world-famous culture, sport and events to our waterfronts, coastal destinations, town centre regeneration projects and emerging visitor attractions, there is significant scope for investors and operators to establish and grow successful businesses here. Combined with exceptional connectivity by rail, air and sea, Liverpool City Region is uniquely positioned to attract visitors, talent and investment from across the UK and around the world.
“We’re working together, right across the region, to ensure hospitality brands, developers and investors recognise the long-term growth trajectory of Liverpool City Region. AHC gives us a valuable opportunity to showcase that momentum and demonstrate why Liverpool City Region is genuinely worth staying for.”
Tim Games, Executive Director, Investment & Delivery at Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, added:
“Liverpool City Region is entering a defining decade of investment, regeneration and growth. Across the region we are bringing forward ambitious projects that are creating new opportunities for hotel operators, hospitality brands, leisure providers and institutional investors.
“Our fundamentals are exceptionally strong. We have a visitor economy worth £6.83 billion, record visitor numbers, robust hotel occupancy and a development pipeline that spans some of the UK’s most exciting regeneration and destination-led projects.
“Equally important is the collaborative way we work. Through strong partnerships across the public and private sectors, we are creating investment opportunities that are commercially attractive, strategically significant and capable of delivering long-term value. We look forward to meeting investors and development partners at AHC and discussing how they can be part of Liverpool City Region’s next chapter.”
As demand for high-quality hospitality, accommodation and leisure experiences continues to grow, Liverpool City Region is positioning itself as one of the UK’s most attractive markets for investment. Backed by record visitor economy performance, a strong development pipeline and ambitious regeneration programmes, the region offers investors access to a market with proven demand and significant future potential.
Visitors to AHC 2026 are invited to meet the team at Stand 62 and discover why Liverpool City Region is Worth Staying For.
For further information on Liverpool City Region’s hospitality investment opportunities, click HERE.
For further information on AHC 2026, click HERE.