The visitor economy in Cheshire and Warrington grew to £4.4 billion in 2025, according to new figures published today by Marketing Cheshire, the accredited Local Visitor Economy Partnership for the sub-region.
The latest STEAM data shows the economic value of tourism rising by 1.4% on the previous year, with growth recorded in every borough. Overnight stays also increased, with 3.8 million staying visitors choosing Cheshire and Warrington in 2025 – around 20,000 more than in 2024.
New additions to the region’s visitor offer in 2025 included the arrival of Lapland UK at Capesthorne Hall, attracting 170,000 guests over seven weeks; the opening of The Reserve Hotel and new Heart of Africa at Chester Zoo following a £50m investment; and Chester being named the most welcoming UK city and one of the top ten most welcoming globally by Booking.com.
The results come against a challenging backdrop of rising costs for businesses and continued pressure on consumer spending. They also follow an exceptionally strong 2024, when visitor numbers grew by between 4.7% and 8.2% across the region.
While total visits eased slightly to 53.1 million, the data points to a clear shift towards visitors staying longer and spending more. This higher-value tourism delivers the greatest benefit to local businesses, from hotels and restaurants to attractions and independent retailers. The sector continues to support more than 37,700 jobs across the sub-region.
Cheshire West and Chester
Cheshire West and Chester delivered the strongest performance in the region. The value of its visitor economy rose by 2% to £2.5 billion, while staying visitors grew by 1.8% to 1.7 million. The borough welcomed 29.8 million visits in 2025 and tourism supports more than 21,500 jobs.
Cheshire East
Cheshire East's visitor economy grew to £1.13 billion, with staying visitors up 1.4% to 1.5 million. The borough welcomed 13.8 million visits and tourism supports almost 10,000 jobs.
Warrington
Warrington's visitor economy held firm at £719 million, edging ahead of 2024. The town welcomed 9.5 million visits and 611,000 staying visitors, with tourism supporting 6,200 jobs.
Jamie Christon, Chair of Marketing Cheshire and CEO of Chester Zoo, said:
"These figures show a visitor economy that is resilient and growing in value. In a year when many households were watching every penny, more people chose to stay overnight in Cheshire and Warrington, and visitors spent more while they were here. That is a real vote of confidence in the quality of what our region offers.
"Growth in overnight stays matters, because staying visitors spend more across our hotels, restaurants, attractions and high streets. Businesses are operating in very challenging trading conditions, with rising costs, recruitment challenges and a very competitive travel marketplace.
“Our job now is to build on that momentum and keep making the case for Cheshire and Warrington as a place worth staying for."
Sarah Callander Beckett, owner of Combermere Abbey and Chair of the Destination Cheshire tourism forum, said:
"Behind these numbers are thousands of businesses who have worked incredibly hard through a tough economic climate. To grow the value of our visitor economy after such a record-breaking 2024 is a real achievement, and a tribute to the quality, creativity and welcome our tourism businesses offer.
"The rise in overnight stays is especially encouraging. It shows that visitors are increasingly seeing Cheshire and Warrington not just as a day out, but as a destination for a break – and that is exactly where the long-term growth lies.”
