From 14-23 March 2025, Visit Leicester will turn the spotlight on tourism when VisitEngland’s English Tourism Week kicks off with this year’s theme of ‘supporting people and places to drive growth’.

During this nationwide celebration of the tourism sector, Visit Leicester is highlighting some key events and activities throughout the week, as well as celebrating the contributions made by those working in the local tourism and hospitality industry.

In England, tourism supports 200,000 SME businesses, employs 2.6 million people and generates about £71.6 billion annually for the economy in domestic visitor spending. Within Leicestershire, tourism activity resulted in 31.28 million visitors, contributing £2.39 billion to the local economy (data from the 2023 Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor (STEAM) survey). The value to the economy surpasses the £2.1 billion target outlined in the Leicester and Leicestershire Tourism Growth Plan 2020-25 and represents a 15.5% increase on the previous year.

As English Tourism Week begins, Leicester will be illuminated by the bi-annual Light Up Leicester festival, which is running from 12-15 March, when large scale installations and parades will turn the city into a paradise of light, sound and fun. A huge finale parade on Saturday 15 March will see the flamboyant ivory horses of FierS à Cheval lead a spectacular parade through the city to conclude the festivities (pictured here). Find out more about Light Up Leicester here.

King Richard III forms a major part of English Tourism Week in Leicester as a decade is marked since the King was finally laid to rest. On the 26 March 2015, King Richard III was reinterred at Leicester Cathedral after a lost and found story that captivated the world. The Lost King became global front page news and put Leicester into the hearts and minds of people everywhere. Throughout this year’s English Tourism Week, celebrations begin for this very special 10th anniversary.

Leicester Cathedral has a whole month’s worth of events to commemorate the reinterment. On Thursday 20 March, medieval armoury expert (and one of the mounted soldiers who accompanied Richard III's coffin), Dr Toby Capwell will explore how King Richard III excelled in armoured combat in the special talk The Scoliotic Knight: Reconstructing the Real Richard III. Then on Saturday 22 March, Leicester Cathedral Choir present Music for Kings and Queens, a special concert featuring music from the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, King Richard III’s Service of Reinterment and the Coronation of King Charles III. Find out more about the 10th anniversary here.

In addition to events in the city, there will also be plenty happening across Leicestershire. On Monday 17 March, Oadby and Wigston Borough Council will be officially revealing a brand-new mural in Wigston town centre celebrating the history of the area. The mural, has been designed and created by local street art collective Graffwerk, in collaboration with the Greater Wigston Historical Society. The same team also worked on a similar mural in South Wigston which was revealed last month.

Then on Wednesday 19 March, Visit Blaby will be launching its new Tourism Growth Plan at Everards Meadows beer and food hall. The plan will set out the future priorities for the district, which is a key partner of Visit Leicester and home to some of Leicestershire’s top attractions including Fosse Park Shopping Centre, the 15th Century Kirby Muxloe Castle, the UK’s National Diving Centre at Stoney Cove, and Everards beer hall with 70 acres of regenerated green space at Everards Meadows.

Also on 19 March, East Midlands Airport is hosting A Gateway to Tourism and Trade event, as part of the airport’s 60th anniversary celebrations. Guests will hear from a range of speakers and network with exhibitors from regional attractions and tourism organisations. Book your ticket here.

Concluding the week will be a special event on Friday 21 March where the National Forest Company will be hosting a visit from local MP for Mid-Leicestershire, Peter Bedford, where he will be introduced to the Charnwood Geopark bid. UNESCO Global Geoparks are areas that contain internationally significant geology, which communities promote to achieve sustainable economic development. Charnwood Forest hopes to be awarded this designation and join 195 UNESCO Global Geoparks.

English Tourism Week ends on 23 March when the 2025 VisitEngland Tourism Superstar will be revealed. Leicester and Leicestershire are proud to have been nominated for the third time in four years, with the team at Leicester Museums & Galleries judged as one of ten finalists. The team has been shortlisted thanks to its commitment to providing an unforgettable visitor experience to everyone who comes to the city, and Visit Leicester is especially proud that the Visit Leicester Information team, based at the King Richard III Visitor Centre, is part of the nomination. Voting remains open until 22 March and you can add your vote here.