The Economic Impact of Tourism
The Cambridge Economic Impact Model is an industry respected tool for measuring the economic impact of tourism in an area. Knowing the volume and value of tourism is an essential part of developing policies for managing tourism.
In 2023, Destination Research was commissioned by Dover District Council via Visit Kent to carry out the Cambridge Model Reports. These reports give the economic impact of tourism to and within Dover District and relate to the estimated value and volume of tourism to the area during a single year.
The most recent release of the industry-respected Economic Impact of Tourism for 2023, shows the value of economy in the Dover district increasing to £295 million, reaching 98% of 2019 levels and marking a 47% rise versus 2021. The statistics show a significant rebound post-pandemic, underscoring the resilience of the sector and its pivotal role in the district’s economy.
Inbound tourism has also grown, with 90,500 overseas trips made in 2023 exceeding pre-pandemic levels by 1%. This growth reflects the continued appeal to international visitors and the successful efforts to rebuild global connectivity.
Day trips to the area also demonstrated particularly strong appeal, nearing 2019 levels with 4.1 million day trips, an 11% increase compared to 2021. Day trip spending also reached £138m, a 38% increase compared to 2021, further highlighting the popularity of domestic travel and its contribution to the visitor economy.