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Greetings from Hartlepool: Town becomes tourism hot-spot

TOURIST trips to Hartlepool are boosting employment in the town.

Nearly 140 new jobs in tourism were created in the town between 2009 and 2013, according to the latest figures.

In the same period Hartlepool also enjoyed a £24 million boost in tourism revenue.

Figures from the Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor (STEAM) show that tourism generated £142.9 million in Hartlepool in 2013 - 21% more than 2009.

The increase in revenue generated the equivalent of 138 full-time jobs in tourism related sectors - including hotels, restaurants and recreation.

According to the STEAM figures, Hartlepool received 3.2 million visitors in 2013 and the tourism industry accounted for 2,021 jobs for local people.

Councillor Christopher Akers-Belcher, Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “I am delighted people are viewing Hartlepool as the culturally rich town that it is.

“The town has many great assets, including Hartlepool’s Maritime Experience and the marina, and I believe the Hartlepool Vision is already helping to regenerate the wider area.”

The Hartlepool Vision, which was launched in January 2014, aims to revitalise key areas of the town and lay the foundations for the town’s future prosperity.

The Hartlepool Vision includes eight key sites. They are the town centre, Jacksons Landing/Trincomalee Wharf and the marina, Church Street, Seaton Carew, the Headland, Wynyard, the Port and Queens Meadow.

Councillor Akers-Belcher added: “Since launching the Hartlepool Vision we’ve received fantastic support from residents, businesses and many influential regeneration players and I am very encouraged by the progress we have made so far.

“Our aim is to create major new retail and leisure facilities, produce much needed job opportunities for the town and further increase the town’s profile as a visitor destination.”

Officers at Hartlepool Borough Council are currently preparing a report analysing the volume and value of the town’s tourism in 2014.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Steve Hilton .