Northumberland National Park boosts North East economy by £80m

Northumberland National Park welcomes record numbers of visitors.

Iconic sights like Hadrian’s Wall and Sycamore Gap are drawing in more crowds than ever before – with a record 1.5 million visitors stepping foot in Northumberland National Park last year.

Tourism spending in the Park is also up by seven per cent, bringing an £80 million boost to the north east’s economy.

National Parks Minister Lord Gardiner visited Northumberland to celebrate the success and kick-start National Parks Week.

While there Lord Gardiner saw the work the Park is doing to encourage more families, children and young people to enjoy the great outdoors.

He also explored the new Sill Discovery Centre – a £14 million project designed to help people understand the landscapes and heritage of Northumberland.

National Parks Minister Lord Gardiner said:

Tony Gates, Chief Executive of the Northumberland National Park Authority, said:

Over the course of National Parks Week Lord Gardiner will be speaking with farmers at the New Forest National Park, exploring the moorland at Exmoor, and meeting some of the apprentices and graduates at Dartmoor National Park.

With more than 90 million visitors to the country’s National Parks each year, they contribute £4billion to the UK economy and are home to some of our most rare wildlife.