Beatles Story attraction helping drive city's tourism economy
ALBERT Dock tourist attraction The Beatles Story is generating hundreds of thousands of pounds for the city’s overseas visitor income in a carefully targeted marketing drive.
The venture, owned by transport authority Merseytravel, has announced the loan of its Beatles Hidden Gallery exhibition to the Beatlemania exhibition, in the Czech Republic.
It is part of an international drive to raise awareness and visitor numbers, which includes links with US tourism agencies, travel operators and the training of Chinese tour guides in Shanghai as part of the city’s World Expo initiative last year.
And Beatles Story said it is achieving impressive results.
After original Beatles drummer Pete Best and his band officially opened Beatlemania, more than 600 extra visitors from the Czech Republic made the trip to Liverpool.
Involvement in a US Lennon Season reversed a downward trend in visitors from America, and a marketing drive with tour operators has resulted in four major firms adding Liverpool to their offering, with Globus booking 40 groups in for the 2011 season.
Beatles Story also recorded a 60% rise in Chinese visitors last year, and latest figures show that, in January, more than 600 Chinese tourists visited the attraction.
More promotional events are planned for the US later this year.
Beatles Story managing director Jerry Goldman said: “The value of The Beatles Story to the visitor economy of Liverpool is enormous.
“The city has a much improved tourism offer that we can all be proud of – great hotels, restaurants, bars, museums, galleries and, of course, retail.
“I see Beatles Story very much as the catalyst for the city, opening the door for people from all over the world to come and experience our wider offer.
“It’s the Beatles Story brand that gets people interested initially, and as a result they want to learn more about the city that gave the world The Beatles.”
He added: “South America is particularly interesting at the moment.
“We have seen a 60% increase in visitors from Brazil in the last year.
“They are rabid Beatles fans, their economy is strong and they are willing to travel. Our job now, as a city, is to broadcast the offer of Liverpool as the number one destination for Beatles fans.”
Overall, The Beatles Story revealed that it has achieved an impressive 18% year-on-year increase in tourism visitors.
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