VISIT Herefordshire has unveiled an ambitious new roadmap to build a £1 billion visitor economy by 2035, following five years of record-breaking growth that has transformed Herefordshire into one of England's fastest-growing rural destinations.

The launch marks a significant milestone for Herefordshire's visitor economy and the start of the campaign for a second term of Visit Herefordshire, ahead of the forthcoming business improvement district ballot.

The Ballot will give eligible businesses the opportunity to vote on the future of Visit Herefordshire and secure continued investment in destination marketing, business support, tourism development and industry leadership.

If approved, the Second Term will run from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2032, enabling Visit Herefordshire to continue delivering county-wide promotion, digital marketing, industry development, investment programmes and strategic tourism leadership on behalf of the County's visitor economy.

The Visit Herefordshire business plan regional roadshow kicked off in Ross-on-Wye last night, (Tuesday August 25), with a meeting with the Ross Business Association at The Corn Exchange.

Diane Mansell, chief executive of Visit Herefordshire, said: "Five years ago, businesses took a leap of faith and chose to invest collectively in the future of Herefordshire's visitor economy.

“The results speak for themselves. Together, we have transformed Herefordshire into a nationally recognised destination, secured record economic growth and created a strong, independent voice for the visitor economy..

“This Business Plan is about building on that success. It sets out an ambitious but achievable roadmap to attract more visitors, generate more spending for local businesses, secure additional investment and help create a £1 billion visitor economy by 2035.”

The upcoming Ballot is about far more than a vote. It is a decision about whether Herefordshire continues to have a dedicated, independent organisation working every day to attract visitors, support businesses and champion the County nationally.