Visit Birmingham & West Midlands

Meet Tom Marlow, our Communications Manager ✨ Tom manages the communications activity of our leisure tourism, business events and major sporting events programmes. He works on a daily basis with regional, national and international media, partners and stakeholders to positively promote the West Midlands’ visitor economy and encourage more people to come and enjoy everything it has to offer. Whether it’s writing and sending out press releases and thought leadership pieces, hosting media on visits to the West Midlands, or drafting briefing notes for broadcast interviews, Tom strives to enhance the profile and reputation of the region through his activity. 🔍 Tom's West Midlands tourism highlight: "The fantastic variety of sporting events, which we have on our doorstep – in an array of brilliant stadiums and backdrops. The West Midlands is at the heart of sport in the UK, and during any given weekend in the region, sports tourists can be treated to Premier League and EFL football, Test Match or county cricket, world-class athletics, golf, badminton, gymnastics, diving, tennis or basketball. And if you want to have a go yourself, there are some great new venues to try out your sporting skills with friends or family – from The Bear Grylls Adventure, Sixes Social Cricket and The Belfry Hotel & Resort to F1® Arcade, Flight Club Darts and TOCA Social." 📧 Get in touch with Tom today: press@wmgrowth.com 💬 Discover more about what we do: https://lnkd.in/epWPNHGX

📰 We're thrilled to share some exciting coverage that appeared in The Sun earlier this month, showcasing the city as a top UK city break destination for this half term 🎉 Working with the West Midlands Growth Company, the article highlights some of city's best venues, attractions and hotels, including: 🖼️ Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery 🐠 National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham 🍫 Cadbury World 🏹 The Bear Grylls Adventure 🛏️ ibis Styles Birmingham NEC & Airport Read the full article online now: https://bit.ly/3YxJZpm #coverage #westmidlands #birmingham

Birmingham Airport is leading the way in sustainability with a new multi-million-pound solar investment ✈️ 🌱   Birmingham Airport recently welcomed the UK’s new Aviation Minister, Mike Kane, to showcase its impressive new 6.8-megawatt solar farm. Featuring 12,000 solar panels, this sustainable project will power at least 20% of the airport's electricity needs, reducing its reliance on the Grid and accelerating Birmingham Airport’s green ambitions.   With a commitment to achieving net zero by 2033, well ahead of government targets, this solar farm marks just the beginning of a £300m eco-friendly investment plan designed to transform the airport’s infrastructure over the next decade.   Discover more about Birmingham Airport's net zero journey: https://lnkd.in/eef9nC8u #birmingham #sustainability #westmidlands #birminghamairport

Introducing the finalists for the West Midlands Tourism Awards 2025: Business Events Venue of the Year! This category recognises business events venues that demonstrate an excellent understanding of the market, exceeding the expectations of their clients and have a strategic plan for future development within this area, with clear goals. This year's finalists are: 🤩 Conference Aston 👏 Coventry Building Society Arena ✨The Eastside Rooms 🎉 thestudio... Congratulations to all our finalists for setting the standard in business events across the West Midlands! #WMTA25 #birmingham #westmidlands

Meet Becky Frall, our Head of Tourism 👋 Becky is the strategic lead for the visitor economy across the region, forging collaborative relationships to deliver the West Midlands Tourism Strategy. She heads up our Visitor Economy team, overseeing marketing, communications, product development, policy, and research. Becky shapes initiatives that boost both the number and value of visitors to our destinations while supporting partner businesses across the West Midlands. All of this aims to ensure employment and volunteering opportunities for local people, and for our visitors’ spend to bring wider value to our communities, whilst our visitors enjoy a memorable stay. 🔍 Becky's West Midlands tourism highlight: "Assessing applications for the annual West Midlands Tourism Awards gives me a real feel for the excellence we offer visitors to the region. The quality genuinely goes up each year, and when we do a mystery site visit it’s a real privilege seeing the bones of the business and the values they represent. I also love a snack or meal before an evening out (food anytime, really!) – whether it's Medicine Kitchen & Bakery ahead of a show at The Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, the Rooftop Restaurant at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon, or Wu Shuang Cafe before a gig in Digbeth. Isaacs at The Grand Hotel Birmingham and Plates at Purnell's are also great options before heading to a performance at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Birmingham Hippodrome or City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra." 📧 Get in touch with Becky via LinkedIn 💬 Discover more about what we do: https://lnkd.in/epWPNHGX

Planning a holiday can be tricky if you are disabled. Disabled people and their families need to know plenty of detail about a venue before they can decide if it is the right place for them to stay. AccessAble’s trained surveyors collect the information disabled people and carers have told them is important. That’s why over 6 million people use their Detailed Access Guides every year. All surveys carried out are ‘pan-disability' - encompassing 100s of pieces of information relevant to a diverse range of access needs. Visit the West Midlands Your Accessibility Guide portal to learn more: https://lnkd.in/e9qcDVmu #KnowMoreGoMore VisitEngland

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the “A West Midlands Welcome” campaign, a film produced for us by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions, the creative brand studio within BBC Studios. This West Midlands Growth Company campaign aims to position the region as a must-visit destination for North American travellers, and will be advertised on BBC.com. The film features an incredible array of the region’s most iconic figures and attractions, including Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), Glynn Purnell, Celine Gittens (Birmingham Royal Ballet), TOA Taxis, Warwick Castle, Black Country Living Museum, Arfan and Imran Ditta (Royal Watan), and William Shakespeare (Tudor World Museum). The campaign aligns with the Regional Tourism Strategy and is part of the West Midlands Destination Development Partnership (DDP) programme, collaborating with the Birmingham, Solihull & Black Country Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) and Coventry & Warwickshire LVEP.

Did you know you can list your venue and events for FREE on the Visit Birmingham website? The West Midlands Culture & Tourism Connected platform allows West Midlands tourism businesses to upload, manage and share content relating to their venues and events. It aims to give visitors a complete overview of the range of experiences available across the West Midlands and helps cultural venues and destinations take a more joined-up approach to shaping and promoting those visitor experiences. ✨ Upload events: https://lnkd.in/epYMvsdm 💬 For more information contact Paul Marshall paul.marshall@wmgrowth.com

Exciting news 📣 Birmingham will host the 2025 International Night Time Economy Summit at Hockley Social Club from 5-7 February 2025! Join 4,000+ leaders from arts, culture, hospitality, music, and politics to explore key themes like sustainability, safety, and cultural impact on one of the UK’s fastest-growing industries. Event highlights include: ✨ Panel discussions with UK and global leaders, hosted by West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker. 🎤 Unique sessions on topics from live music to women’s safety and tech 🍽️ Showcase of Birmingham's thriving food, music, and nightlife scene. This incredible event will be presented by the Night Time Industries Association with partners including Defected, Earth Percent, and Hospital Records. Registration and more information ➡️ https://bit.ly/3BGMc9c Digbeth Dining Club

Meet the finalists of the West Midlands Tourism Awards 2025! 🎉 We are thrilled to announce the nominees for the Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award, which celebrates tourism businesses that go above and beyond to create unforgettable experiences for all visitors. This year's finalists are: 🎭 Birmingham Hippodrome 🚗 British Motor Museum ✨ St Mary's Guildhall Congratulations to each of these remarkable businesses. We can’t wait to celebrate your achievements at the awards ceremony in March. #WMTA25 #birmingham #westmidlands