The logo for English Tourism Week 2026English Tourism Week, the celebration of the value and contribution of tourism to the national economy, is back from Friday 13th to Sunday 22nd March 2026.

Here's what to expect from this year's campaign, and how you can get involved.

What to Expect During English Tourism Week

Throughout English Tourism Week, partners across Staffordshire will shine a spotlight on the people and businesses that contribute to the county’s visitor economy.

This includes sharing business success stories, community features, creative highlights, sustainable practice examples, and the voices of those who work in tourism every day.

These stories bring the ETW 2026 theme to life by showing how local pride and local people fuel national economic and cultural impact.

Local Stories Driving National Growth

From world‑class attractions to our thriving hospitality workforce and growing creative and sustainable industries, Staffordshire’s communities are at the heart of its success.

Local initiatives across the county — including sustainability work through Staffordshire Business Environment Network (SBEN), employment and training pathways supported by the Staffordshire Jobs & Careers Service, screen sector development led by Screen Staffordshire, and place‑based pride championed by We Are Staffordshire — all demonstrate how the county is becoming a place to live, work, visit and thrive.

Projects such as the Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Growth Hub and Invest Staffordshire further strengthen the county’s economic landscape by supporting business growth, providing advice and investment opportunities, and helping enterprises build resilience.

Alongside this, the Staffordshire Care Leavers into Employment programme plays a crucial community role by supporting care leavers aged 16–25 into employment, training and skills pathways — ensuring that all young people have the opportunity to thrive and contribute to Staffordshire’s long‑term prosperity.

Staffordshire’s Connectivity Offer

Staffordshire’s growth is also supported by a strong connectivity offer, making the county easy to reach and effortless to explore.

With well‑established road and rail links to major UK destinations — alongside reliable bus and community transport networks — visitors can move smoothly between attractions, towns and countryside.

These connections not only enhance the visitor experience but also enable residents, local businesses and employees to stay mobile, engaged and well‑connected, helping the county continue to grow sustainably.

National Engagement, Media Activity & Toolkit

VisitEngland is supporting the week with a package of national activity, including:

  • A comprehensive industry toolkit with logos, editable templates, branded graphics and social media assets
  • An MP engagement toolkit containing factsheets, press templates and campaign materials
  • A national press release (issued week of 3 March), planned radio interviews and broader national media activity
  • Promotion of Tourism Superstar 2026, encouraging destinations to support this year’s finalists
     

Local tourism businesses are encouraged to take advantage of the increased media attention by:

  • Hosting MP visits, tours or behind‑the‑scenes sessions
  • Sharing local stories or news tied to the ETW hook
  • Connecting with local media to highlight Staffordshire activity
  • Leveraging VisitEngland’s assets to create unified messaging across the sector
     

Why English Tourism Week Matters for Staffordshire

Tourism continues to be one of Staffordshire’s most significant economic contributors. Nationally, the visitor economy is worth £147 billion a year to the UK and supports 2.4 million jobs, underscoring its importance to long‑term economic growth.

Locally, Staffordshire’s visitor economy remains a vital pillar of prosperity, previously contributing around £2.7bn annually and employing almost 24,000 people across the county.

The county’s visitor economy is underpinned by its outstanding attractions, rich heritage, natural landscapes, thriving hospitality sector and expanding creative industries — all of which help make Staffordshire an inspiring place to visit, work and explore.

English Tourism Week offers the perfect moment to:

  • Celebrate the people who power our visitor economy
  • Support skills and career development in tourism and hospitality
  • Highlight the strength of local attractions and destinations
  • Inspire more visitors to choose Staffordshire
  • Showcase the county to political decision‑makers and stakeholders

These combined efforts reflect how local stories contribute directly to England’s national tourism success.

Get Involved

Businesses, partners and stakeholders across Staffordshire can join the celebration by:

  • Downloading the official ETW toolkit at English Tourism Week | VisitBritain.org
  • Sharing stories using #EnglishTourismWeek26
  • Tagging @VisitEnglandBiz, @VisitEngland and @EnjoyStaffs on X
  • Hosting events, tours, offers or behind‑the‑scenes opportunities
  • Sharing content with Visit Staffordshire and the LVEP for possible inclusion in campaign coverage
     

A Celebration of Pride, People and Place

English Tourism Week 2026 is a chance for Staffordshire to shine on the national stage — celebrating our communities, attractions, culture, natural landscapes and the people who make our county such a welcoming place to visit, work and explore.

By showcasing Staffordshire’s voices, achievements and ambitions, the county contributes to the wider national story of a thriving, resilient and world‑class visitor economy.

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