Tourism plans for West Midland Safari Park and Severn Valley Railway to be shown at the House of Commons
Ambitious plans for the West Midland Safari Park and the Severn Valley Railway have been showcased at a reception held at the House of Commons.
The event was staged to raise awareness of the success of tourism in the Midlands which caters for a total of 9.3 million visitors every year and which creates 5,000 jobs, boosting the regional economy by £1.2 billion.
Ivan Knezovich, managing director of the park and chairman of the Heart of England Attractions Group, highlighted how tourism and leisure accounted for seven per cent of the economy of the West Midlands and was the third largest sector in terms of business numbers, with more than 20,000 companies and a workforce of more than 200,000.
He said: “It is very important for us to engage with MPs, so we can showcase our success and update them on what we do, to benefit the region economically.”
Key investment plans include £20m at the Safari Park with bosses planning to create a multi-million pound waterpark as well as a hotel, conference centre and spa. Around £10m is due to be invested at Alton Towers, £6.5m at Drayton Manor, between £5m and £6m at Ironbridge and £2m at the Severn Valley Railway.
The group also represents attractions such as the Birmingham Museums Trust, Dudley Zoological Gardens, Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, Cadbury World, the Black Country Living Museum, Alton Towers Resort, RAF Museum Cosford and Warwick Castle.
