Hereford Cathedral Built on a place of worship used since Saxon times and home to the Mappa Mundi, Hereford Cathedral contains some of the finest examples of architecture from Norman times to the present day and attracts more than 50,000 visitors a year.
Tourism
World class and world famous, the Marches is recognised as one of the fastest growing business tourism and unique leisure destinations in the UK.
The cathedral city of Hereford, the historic county town of Shrewsbury and the World heritage Sites of the Ironbridge Gorge and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, make the Marches a standout destination in the UK.
More than 20,000 people are employed in the sector in the Marches, and is home to one of the UK’s top 10 convention centres, The International Centre in Telford, which welcomes more than 5,000 events each year attracting over 450,000 delegates.
The region's unique fusion of old and new, with stunning landscapes, stately homes, Roman ruins, museums and laid back market towns means there is something here for visitors of all interests.
Investment is continuing in the Marches with both leisure and business tourism reaping the benefits. Recent figures showed visitors to Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, combining overnight tourist and day visitor spending, produce more than £1 billion for the local economy a year. Over the last ten years, the area has seen more than £350 million invested from both public and private sectors, and a further £250 million is projected for investment over the next decade.
The sector is supported by a number of organisations including Shropshire and Telford Tourism Strategy Board, Shropshire Tourism, Visit Herefordshire, Telford and Shropshire Conferences and Visit Ironbridge
Key tourism hotspots and attractions in the Marches include:
Ironbridge Gorge Museums - 10 unique museums in the World Heritage Site near Telford, Shropshire
RAF Museum Cosford – An award-winning family attraction and unique conference and events venue, which is also home to the National Cold War Exhibition.
Severn Valley Railway –The SVR is a full-size standard-gauge railway line running regular steam-hauled passenger trains for the benefit of visitors and enthusiasts along a 16 mile track.
Weston Park – one of England’s finest Stately Homes and the host venue of music event V Festival, attracting 85,000 people each year
