Cornwall in crisis as number of tourists hits 'lowest level for 10 years'

Cornwall's caput of tourism has said the region wants to 'bounce back'. (Image: Getty)

Cornwall's caput of tourism has said the region wants to "bounce back" aft visitant numbers deed a 10-year debased past year.

Jon Hyatt, who chairs Visit Cornwall, said challenges see economical pressures, but tourism chiefs are determined to bash their best.

He said astatine a tourism acme successful Truro that Cornwall is unsocial and has a fantastic offering. Still, the manufacture indispensable navigate the existent economical scenery and "substantial" outgo burden.

His remarks, reported by the BBC, travel aft Tim Jones, who chairs the South West Business Council, said tourism successful southwest England was astatine its lowest constituent successful a decade.

Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive astatine UK Hospitality, warned that taxation increases from April volition awesome the extremity of the roadworthy for immoderate businesses.

Visitor numbers were level successful Cornwall past year. (Image: Getty)

Under Chancellor Rachel Reeves' Budget changes, employers volition spot their National Insurance contributions rise, the minimum wage spell up and concern rates altered from April.

Ms Nicholls said the country's finances could not beryllium balanced connected the backs of tiny businesses successful counties specified arsenic Cornwall. She warned, "It volition person a devastating impact."

According to Cornwall Opportunities, tourism accounts for 15% of Cornwall's economy, with immoderate 4 cardinal overnight stays per twelvemonth and 14 cardinal time trips.

It calculates that visitors walk £2 cardinal successful the region annually, supporting much than 35,000 jobs successful the sector.

Among its attractions, visitors are drawn to Cornwall's stunning coastline, picturesque beaches and areas of outstanding earthy beauty.

Tourism makes up 15% of Cornwall's economy. (Image: Getty)

Malcolm Bell, erstwhile Executive Chairman of Visit Cornwall, told the BBC past twelvemonth that a diminution successful visitors was the effect of atrocious weather, the wide predetermination and cost-of-living crisis.

He told the broadcaster successful October that determination are often peaks and troughs successful tourism, but 2024 was "flat each the mode through".

A Government spokesperson said: "Thriving hospitality and tourism sectors play a important relation successful increasing the economy, arsenic the UK was the seventh astir visited state successful the satellite successful 2023.

"We person ensured that much than fractional of UK employers volition either spot a chopped oregon nary alteration successful their National Insurance measure from April and are providing 40% concern rates alleviation up of introducing a permanent, caller little concern complaint from 2026."