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Experience Sussex, the official visitor economy development programme for East and West Sussex, has released research that reveals the significant value of tourism for businesses in the region. 

• 50.6 million trips by visitors generated more than £4.06 billion for the local economy in East and West Sussex* 

• The numbers of overseas visitors staying in East and West Sussex increased by 21% (based on the 2023 report)* 

• Overnight visitors contribute more per person to the visitor economy than day trippers* 

• • 5.4 million overnight stays contributed £1,384 million  

• • 45.1 million daytrips contributed £1,599 million 

• • 911,000 overseas staying visitors contributed £356.5 million 

(*Not including Brighton & Hove) 

All businesses that operate in the visitor economy in East and West Sussex can access free business support from Experience Sussex including marketing, training, networking and signposting to grants and funding.  

The programme is co-funded by East Sussex County Council and West Sussex County Council and is accredited by Visit England and Visit Britain as co secretariat, alongside its partner Visit Brighton, for the Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP)  

Councillor Garry Wall, West Sussex County Council’s cabinet member for economic development said: “Sussex has a world class offer with some of the finest places to visit, stay, and experience in the UK.

“This latest report underlines the vital role that Experience Sussex plays in driving economic growth through attracting international visitors and encouraging more overnight stays. By doing this, we can boost and disperse valuable visitor spend across a wide range of businesses and local destinations.  

“Experience Sussex supports West Sussex County Council’s plan to build a sustainable thriving economy by showcasing the best of our region- from Selsey to Rye, and from the coast up to the Downs and the Weald – to the whole world.” 

Councillor Penny di Cara, East Sussex County Council’s lead member for economy, said: “It is hugely encouraging to see the growth in overseas visitor numbers and their overnight stays to Sussex last year, and the important contribution this makes to the region’s economy. 

“This report highlights the success of Experience Sussex in harnessing the Sussex brand, supporting the visitor economy, and boosting other tourism marketing work across the region as well as the programme’s ongoing work to attract high spending visitors to the area.   

“I would strongly encourage businesses that operate in the Sussex tourism sector to get in touch with the Experience Sussex team to access the free support and advice available.”  

The Economic Impact of Tourism in East and West Sussex 2024 report was produced using the nationally recognised Cambridge Model for estimating the economic impact of tourism in an area. Data on the volume, duration, location and type of visitor spending is drawn from national and local sources including Visit Britain, Visit England, Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), LightHouse Intelligence, AirDNA, Smith Travel Research (STR), International Passenger Survey (IPS), Office for National Statistics (ONS) and domestic tourism statistics.