Hotel occupancy rises in Greater Manchester
Visit Manchester said hotels showed an 8% rise in rooms booked in August this year compared to August 2010.
The tourist board for the city region said a 97% occupancy rate was reached on Tuesday 12 July, during the Manchester International Festival, with hotels reaching 98% capacity on the night of former Manchester United footballer Paul Scholes' testimonial match at Old Trafford in August.
Visit Manchester added that a similar percentage was achieved during the night of the Manchester Pride Parade, with the city's hotels being 97% full.
Paul Simpson, managing director of Visit Manchester, said: "The Greater Manchester Tourism Strategy clearly identifies major events as a key driver of the local economy. This summer has demonstrated the positive impact that events have on the city. Tourism is a huge driving force to Greater Manchester's economy generating a £5.5 billion income and supporting 75,000 jobs. It is fantastic to see that figures have increased since this time last year and let's hope they carry on doing so as we head towards Christmas."
