Blackpool top of the stay-at-home league

Blackpool has been named as the nation’s top stay-at-home holiday destination.

And tourism agencies predict the number of visitors who have stayed in the resort will have soared by 25 per cent by the end of the season.

But some smaller hoteliers say they are still struggling, despite the boom in visitors.

Staycation has been the buzz-word of the summer and holiday chiefs are urging hoteliers and attraction chiefs to keep up the hard work over the coming months.

A survey by travelsupermarket.com placed Blackpool at the top of the UK destinations, ahead of Brighton and Bournemouth.

Thousands of tourists have flocked to the resort for events such as the Illuminations switch-on, Showzam!, Veteran’s Week, International Volleyball and the Illuminations Switch-On were marketed heavily.

More than 100,000 people flooded into Blackpool for the Air Show last month, and tourism leaders said it was the resort’s most successful weekend for 20 years.

And events including the Royal Variety Performance and Strictly Come Dancing are still to follow and are expected to bring tens of thousands of people to Blackpool.

Coun Maxine Callow, portfolio holder for tourism and regeneration at Blackpool Council, said: “It’s been a great summer. Blackpool has been a very busy place and everyone has worked together for one aim.

“We think the aim has been achieved in one sense, in another we need to stay on track and do even better next year.

“In 2009 the resort is enjoying a huge upsurge in popularity and is forecasting to show a 25 per cent increase in visitor numbers by the end of this year.”

Some hoteliers have reported seeing an increase in the number of people staying for a few days.

Helen Mansell, owner of the Bamford House Hotel and president of StayBlackpool, said: “I am delighted Blackpool is back where it belongs but we have to work just as hard, if not harder, to make 2010 even better. A lot of our members have experienced a good summer too and it’s continuing throughout the Lights season.”

Geoff Sage, general manager of Blackpool Tower, said visitor numbers were up two per cent on last summer.

He added: “We have had a superb season and a lot is down to cutting our prices for admissions.

“I genuinely believe we are the best value for money resort in the UK and that has seen lots more people coming to Blackpool to see what the town has to offer.”

John Child, managing director of the Sandcastle WaterPark, added: “We are 17 per cent up on visitor numbers last year and more than 40 per cent up on 2007 which is great news.

“People have had to queue for hours to get in so we cannot complain about word of mouth spreading.