Rise in overnight stays boosts county's tourism

Ludlow Castle is among the county's attractions

The number of people staying overnight on visits to Shropshire has increased and helped boost the tourism economy by more than £760m, officials say.

Figures for 2022 revealed almost 1.5 million people spent a night or more in the county, a rise of 6.4% compared to 2019, Visit Shropshire said.

More than 8,000 people were employed in the sector, they added.

The rise in overnight stays was a sign the county was "becoming seen as a longer-stay destination", project lead Mark Hooper said.

He also welcomed a growth in train travel as figures from Transport for Wales and West Midlands Railway showed a 17.5% growth on the Shrewsbury to Birmingham line in the year.

The organisation calculated the total benefit from tourism to the Shropshire economy was £767m.

Mr Hooper said Visit Shropshire would "never be complacent", and would continue its efforts to grow the industry.

"With new developments such as Smithfield Riverside in Shrewsbury and linking Oswestry to the national rail network we are excited about what the future holds for the county, with tourism continuing to be a major contributor to our economy," he said.