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We are celebrating another year of growth across our visitor economy, with the latest 2024 STEAM report showing that more people than ever are choosing to explore our woodlands, attractions, and nature rich landscapes. Compared to 2023, Visitor numbers, spend, and employment have all risen, reflecting the strength of a place where people love to spend time and where our partner businesses continue to thrive.
16 Dec 2025
The STEAM model is a nationally recognised tourism impact assessment that calculates the value of visitor activity using local and national datasets including visitor numbers, accommodation occupancy, and visitor spend. The data is reported around a year in arrears following a verification process to ensure accuracy.
This year’s findings show a strong and encouraging picture. Visitor numbers increased by 5.2 per cent to 8.7 million, and visitor spend adjusted for inflation rose by 2.4 per cent, generating £619 million for our local economy. Tourism related employment reached a record high of 5,473 jobs, surpassing pre-2019 levels. Together, these results show a visitor economy that is not only recovering but becoming more resilient, with growth that aligns with our long term, responsible approach. With interest continuing to rise, we are on track to welcome around 10 million visitors in the coming years.
This progress builds on more than 30 years of landscape scale change. What began as a bold idea to restore a landscape shaped by coal mining and clay extraction has evolved into more than 200 square miles of new and ancient woodland. Next year we will celebrate the planting of our ten millionth tree, marking a rise in woodland cover from around six per cent in the early 1990s to more than 25 per cent today. Thanks to decades of partnership, our Forest has become a living, breathing landscape of trails, lakes, wildlife, and green spaces that offer people a unique sense of connection and wellbeing.
Our attractions continue to play a vital part in this growth. Day visits rose by 5.9 per cent to 7.86 million, with visitors drawn to much loved places such as the National Trust’s Calke Abbey, one of the most visited paid for attractions in the East Midlands, and Bradgate Park, newly designated as a King Charles Nature Reserve. The National Memorial Arboretum, Barton Marina, Hicks Lodge Cycle Centre, and Rosliston Forestry Centre all welcomed strong visitor interest, offering a mix of heritage, recreation, and family friendly days out.
We are also seeing increasing demand for outdoor and farm-based attractions including Cattows Farm and The Deer Park, which continue to provide engaging experiences rooted in nature and local produce. This reflects a wider shift in what visitors are looking for and is supported by the creativity and commitment of our local businesses.
Staying visits rose by 0.2 per cent and outperformed national trends during a year when VisitEngland recorded a ten per cent national decline in overnight stays. Non serviced accommodation options such as glamping, eco lodges, and self-catering rose by six per cent, highlighting the growing preference for low impact, immersive stays. Our work with landowners and small businesses has helped support this shift by encouraging sustainable diversification and new accommodation projects.
Looking to the future, the development of our Heart of the Forest vision will create a stronger, more connected visitor hub, building on established attractions such as Conkers and extending opportunities for recreation, learning, and community engagement. This long-term project represents significant investment in our visitor economy and reinforces our commitment to delivering high quality, memorable experiences.
We are also proud to be supporting the Charnwood Forest Geopark UNESCO journey, helping to share the area’s unique geological heritage and opening new opportunities for people to explore its ancient landscapes. While it forms a smaller part of our offer, it adds depth and variety to the experiences available across the Forest.
None of this progress would be possible without the hundreds of partners, businesses, landowners, volunteers, and community organisations who help shape the National Forest every day. As more people choose to spend time here, our shops, attractions, accommodation providers, and hospitality businesses benefit.
Together, we are creating a thriving, welcoming destination that continues to grow in national significance and offers nature connected experiences for everyone.
