Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to promote (a) Royal Sutton Coldfield and (b) the West Midlands as destinations for British holidaymakers in summer 2026.

DCMS recognises the contribution of the West Midlands, and the constituency of Sutton Coldfield, to the visitor economy. The upcoming summer 2026 season represents a milestone moment for the region. Birmingham’s hosting of the 2026 European Athletics Championships this August will put the West Midlands on a global sporting stage, acting as a powerful catalyst to draw domestic holidaymakers and international visitors alike to regional highlights, from the scenic landscapes of Sutton Park to the historic Black Country Living Museum. I was also delighted to celebrate the success of the region when I attended the West Midlands Tourism Awards in March.

The West Midlands also benefits from VisitBritain's global screen tourism campaign, "Starring Great Britain," which leverages local hit productions like Peaky Blinders to drive inbound tourism to the area.

The West Midlands was a key part of a pilot run by VisitEngland to test a new way of managing tourism. Instead of local groups working in isolation, the project brought national and local tourism bodies together to work as a team. The main goal was to make it much easier for visitors to travel around the region, while joining up the dots between local attractions, hospitality, events, and nightlife.

Looking ahead, the forthcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy will set out an ambitious, long-term plan to bring more visitors to the UK, boost spending, and drive sustainable growth across our regional economies. At the heart of this plan is giving regional leaders the power to take charge of their own tourism sectors. This ensures that visitor numbers and income are spread out more widely, directly benefiting regional destinations like the West Midlands.