Get in contact
Tourism and Leisure
With the outstanding wealth of historical attractions and natural beauty in the area, tourism is understandably an important industry in the Portsmouth city region. Tourism is worth approximately £470 million to the local economy each year and an estimated 17,200 people work in tourism related sectors. These sectors range from hospitality and retail, to catering and travel. State of the art retail, leisure and recreational facilities contribute to the thriving leisure industry in the area.
The main focus of the industry in Portsmouth is the waterfront area, encompassing cosmopolitan retail and leisure area Gunwharf Quays, iconic landmark Spinnaker Tower and Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. This area is visited by over 50% of visitors to the region and generates over £100 million of investment, making it a crucial location for tourism related businesses. Other key attractions in Portsmouth include the Blue Reef Aquarium and Fratton Stadium, home to Portsmouth FC. Away from central Portsmouth, leisure and retail developments like Fareham Shopping centre and Port Solent have attracted exciting brands such as Snow+Rock, one of the largest outdoor and adventure sports shops in Europe. Southsea is known for its seaside attractions, such as Clarence Pier, the largest amusement park on the South Coast, and Southsea Model Village. Connections with the Royal Navy draw visitors to Gosport and museums such as Explosion! The Museum of Naval Firepower and the Submarine Museum.
Another key aspect of the tourism industry is Portsmouth Continental Ferry Port. Companies such as P&O Ferries and Brittany Ferries service seven destinations across France, Spain and the Channel Islands, including Bilbao and St Malo. In addition Wightlink carry over 5 million passengers from Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight each year while Gosport Ferry carries around 4 million across Portsmouth Harbour.
Due to its proximity to the sea, the city region has many water related leisure businesses, including diving companies like Triton Scuba, Boat Charter firms like Sunsail and watersports training facilities like Portsmouth Outdoor Centre. The area also has a number of leisure centres and a new Olympic pre-games training camp at Mountbatten Leisure Centre.
The hotel industry is well poised to take advantage of the Portsmouth City region's appeal to tourists since around 24% of visitors stay overnight. Large chains such as Marriot and Best Western have a presence in the area, along with independent hotels like Lysses House Hotel in Fareham and Florence House Hotel in Portsmouth. The blue flag winning beaches near Havant attract families to resort style accommodation, such as Mill Rythe Holiday Resort, while more luxurious facilities, such as Solent Hotel and Spa in Fareham, appeal to an adult clientele.
The University of Portsmouth has several courses focusing on tourism and leisure, including a BA in Hospitality Management With Tourism and an MSc in Cultural And Tourism Management. Southampton Solent University also has a number of tourism related courses.
