In English Tourism Week

People looking for a great destination or a new career are reminded that Staffordshire has it all, as the county prepares to celebrate English Tourism Week.

Taking place from 18th to 27th March 2022, the theme for this year's English Tourism Week is "You're Welcome".  The campaign hopes to send the message that everyone looking to join the sector is welcome, and those already working in tourism are ready and willing to welcome visitors back.

Tourism is the fourth largest employer in Staffordshire, employing almost 33,000 people.  Many people will work in tourism at some point in their life and it's a great sector to do so.  The industry offers a wide range of opportunities and job roles at all levels with good progression potential.

Now as part of the week long celebrations, young people are being encouraged to consider a career in the sector and to check out local job vacancies.

A short video highlighting some of the county’s great locations and opportunities has also been launched to celebrate the week.

Philip White, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member with responsibility for tourism at Staffordshire County Council said: "English Tourism Week is when the whole country celebrates the sector but it also gives us a great opportunity to get Staffordshire's name on the national stage.  We really do have a brilliant tourism offering here in Staffordshire, with something for everyone.  We really are the country's biggest and best playground.

"When working in tourism, you're also likely to be surrounded by a fun, dynamic team.  This is because hospitality employers tend to hire people who have great energy to ensure their customers are kept happy.  With lots of different roles and areas of work, along with many local current job vacancies available, I'd definitely urge people to consider it as a career."

Tourism in Staffordshire is booming and is worth an estimated  £1.87bn to the local economy each year.

The county is home to two of the UK's leading theme parks; Drayton Manor Resort and the Alton Towers Resort.  It is also the only UK county to have a National Park, the National Forest and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Furthermore, Staffordshire boasts the "nationals" such as the National Memorial Arboretum, National Brewery Centre and the FA's National Football Centre.  The county is also home to many smaller attractions and venues, all supported by a great range of accommodation, restaurants, cafes and retailers, helping to ensure people have a great visitor experience.

Historic houses and gardens also feature heavily in Staffordshire's portfolio of world-class visitor attractions, together with museums and visitor centres that tell the story of the county's pottery industry, brewing industry and rich industrial heritage.

Philip added: "Our tourism businesses continue to do a great job attracting more and more visitors to the county each year.  We continue to work closely with businesses to help them bounce back so we can encourage more visitors to stay here for longer, spend more and return to the county.

"We've also just held the Enjoy Staffordshire Tourism & Good Food Awards, where we celebrated the best of our tourism and hospitality businesses. The winners will be going forward to the Visit England Awards for Excellence, where we'll be hoping for national recognition."

To see what Staffordshire has to offer visit www.enjoystaffordshire.com.

The National Careers Service can help people with their career, learning and training choices. Find out more about the different ways NCS can support you.  Anyone interested in finding out about career opportunities in hospitality and tourism in Staffordshire can also contact: steve.hanley@prospects.co.uk

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