Tourism in Newcastle and Gateshead now worth £2.5 billion welcoming 17.5 million visitors in 2025
According to the latest figures, the visitor economy in Newcastle and Gateshead is now worth £2.47 billion up 3.2% from 2024.
Newly published 2025 STEAM data, which analyses both day and overnight visits and the economic impact of the visitor economy, shows the upward trajectory of the industry with more people choosing to experience everything Newcastle and Gateshead has to offer, including the diverse food and drink scene and cultural venues.
The growth of the industry has been driven by an increase in visitors to Newcastle and Gateshead, having welcomed 17.52 million visitors (+2.8% compared with 2024) in 2025, as well as an increase in visitor spend. Day visitors spent on average £72.26, an increase of 3.6% compared to 2024, and overnight visitors spend £326.46 per person per trip, a staggering 12% increase.
The city’s illustrious food and drink offer continues to play a major role in the sector growth with visitors spending £795 million on food and drink in 2025. Complemented by fantastic transport links, including new routes added at Newcastle International Airport, almost 15,000 hotel beds and unique cultural experiences, Newcastle and Gateshead are well positioned to continue boost its share of international visitors.
The sector now employs 21,000 people in Newcastle and Gateshead (+0.7% increase on 2024) and accounting for approximately one third of sector employment across the North East region. This has been bolstered by a raft of new openings including Dakota Hotel, Hotel Gotham, Flight Club, Mowgli, STACK Newcastle, The Lockup, Fayre Play, Lane 7, Peppa Pig Surprise Party, Stradivarius, and various new routes to Newcastle Airport
"It’s great to see that, despite the challenging economic environment, people are still choosing to spend their time and money in Newcastle and Gateshead, drawn by recent investments, major events like the Mercury Awards and everything we have to offer, from our food & drink scene, our culture & heritage and our famous warm welcome."
Jen Rea also said,
"This growth is something the whole region can be proud of, and it reflects the pride, passion and creativity that define the city. As the Local Visitor Economy Partnership for Newcastle and Gateshead and the regional marketing lead for the region, Experience North East England we look forward to working closely with our partners and industry to showcase Newcastle and Gateshead to inspire even more national and international visitors to discover the unforgettable experiences we have to offer here.”
“Our City has so much to offer visitors. Whether visiting for a celebration, a family break or a cultural getaway, Newcastle offers a rich visitor experience, with a vibrant arts and cultural sector, excellent food and drink, a range of family-friendly attractions all offering a rich programme of events throughout the year. It is fantastic to see the growth of our visitor economy as more people come to experience our famous welcome and all we have to offer here in the City.”
“It’s fantastic to see the Tyneside visitor economy continuing to grow. Our offer in Gateshead is growing all the time, so alongside the established quays attractions, we are also now developing things like the Railway Quarter and Tyne Derwent Way, with lots of events this summer we look forward to welcoming more people to discover what Gateshead has to offer.”
