By Natalie Wyatt, Managing Director, Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership
Liverpool City Region has so much to offer this winter, from our famous Christmas Markets and festive attractions to world-class theatres, live music, shopping and dining. The opportunity is to make sure more people experience it all – and stay a little longer.
That is the thinking behind our Stay for More This Winter campaign, running from late October through to mid-January.
We have deliberately chosen a creative approach that focuses on the value of staying longer, using individual events and attractions to provide the inspiration for visitors to turn a day trip into a longer break, discover more of our destination and make the most of everything on offer.
By bringing together our festive experiences, cultural venues, entertainment and hospitality into inspiring itineraries, we can show visitors just how much they can enjoy when they stay overnight. The campaign also places a particular focus on midweek and Sunday stays, helping to support businesses during quieter trading periods.
And importantly, there is so much more to discover beyond Liverpool city centre. Across our six boroughs, we have a fantastic range of experiences that can encourage visitors to explore further and extend their stay. From A Christmas Carol at Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot and the magical Enchanted light trail at Knowsley Safari, to the festive programme at The Brindley in Halton and Christmas experiences at Catalyst in Widnes, there are plenty of reasons to venture further afield.
On the Wirral, visitors can combine the historic charm of Port Sunlight and Lady Lever Art Gallery with the new Winter Wonderland at Birkenhead Park. In Sefton, there’s Santa’s Secret Forest in Hightown, festive shows at The Atkinson in Southport and the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful Formby coastline.
And in St Helens, Peter Pan at the Theatre Royal provides another great reason for a family visit. These are just some of the experiences that make our city region such a diverse and exciting destination, and we’re keen to bring them together into itineraries that encourage people to see more, do more and stay longer.
For me, this is about making our destination marketing work harder and smarter for the businesses and communities that depend on tourism. Every additional overnight stay creates opportunities for our accommodation providers, restaurants, attractions, theatres and independent businesses. It helps support local jobs and brings valuable visitor spend into our economy.
Our message is simple: don’t just visit Liverpool City Region. Stay for More!
By working together to showcase the city region’s outstanding visitor offer, we can encourage longer stays, support the local visitor economy and reinforce Liverpool City Region’s position as one of the UK’s leading destinations for a winter break.
Find out more at www.visitliverpool.com/christmas