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£6bn tourism boost for East Midlands economy
New statistics have revealed that tourism was worth more than £6bn to the East Midlands' economy in 2009, an increase of 1.3 per cent on the previous year.
The East Midlands Development Agency's (EMDA) tourism arm - East Midlands Tourism - commissioned the study, which also reported an increase in the number of both day and overnight visits to the region. Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor compiled the figures, which saw a 760,000 increase in the number of day trips to the East Midlands and a 320,000 growth in overnight visits.
EMDA tourism director Ruth Hyde said: "These headline figures are incredibly encouraging. In what has been a challenging 12 months, it is great news that the sector is now worth more that £6bn to the regional economy. "The research shows that there has been a shift away from overseas holidays towards staying in the UK, with people taking the opportunity to rediscover and enjoy what's on their own doorstep."