A new fund worth almost £10 million has been launched to help attract major events to Liverpool, to boost overnight visitor stays and strengthen the city’s growing tourism sector.
The funding has been introduced by the Liverpool Accommodation BID and is generated through the city’s £2 per room per night visitor charge applied to overnight stays.
The levy, which has been in place since June 2025, is managed by the accommodation-led business improvement district and overseen by the hospitality sector, with administration by Liverpool Business Improvement District.
£10m fund to support events and visitor economy growth
Of the almost £10m available, around £7m is forecast to be spent supporting major events in the city, helping attract conferences, exhibitions and other large-scale gatherings that bring visitors to Liverpool.
A further £1m will be invested in destination marketing, while the remaining funding will support the wider visitor economy.
Bill Addy, CEO of Liverpool Business Improvement District, said the investment is designed to focus on the economic benefits generated by overnight visitors.
He said:
“We’re delighted to be able to release the details of the funding to support Liverpool’s visitor economy.
“We have a clear objective in attracting events that drive overnight stays.
“We know that daytrippers are increasing, but it is that overnight market, which spends more in the visitor economy, we have to target.
“There is real value in targeting investment on direct visitor activity, helping money flow into the city economy from overnight stays, food and drink, retail, and the wider supply chain in hospitality.
“This creates a more sustainable and stable visitor economy.
“Relying on a seasonal visitor economy means more seasonal jobs and potentially wider youth unemployment.
“If we have a sustainable year round visitor economy, we have a more stable path of investment and security.”
Visitor levy helping attract global events to Liverpool
Marcus Magee, Chair of the Accommodation BID Board, said the fund represents a strong partnership between the accommodation sector and the wider visitor economy.
“This fund is about creating a sustainable partnership between the Accommodation BID, accommodation sector and the visitor economy,” he said.
“We know that this is a successful private sector led initiative, enabling a circular economy where we can generate investment from overnight stays.
“This allows us to have a marker of success, but it also allows for a strong economy that maximises investment, strengthens hospitality and makes the city a more attractive place to visit and spend time.”
Since the overnight visitor levy was introduced in June 2025, it has already helped support several major events in the city, including the Labour Party Conference, the World Chess Championships and the World Boxing Championships.
Liverpool’s hotels have also seen strong demand, with July last year recording the city’s highest ever monthly occupancy rate.
The city also ranked among the top 20 globally for weekend hotel occupancy in 2025.
Tourism plays a major role in the regional economy, contributing around £6.2bn a year to the Liverpool City Region.
Across the UK, the visitor economy generated an estimated £70bn in direct GDP in 2024, according to figures from VisitBritain.
Applications for the Conferences and Exhibitions Fund will open in two rounds, with deadlines on 29 May and 28 August.
