Taking place from 15 to 24 March, the annual campaign will raise the profile of the industry and celebrate the value and quality of tourism in England.

This year’s theme, ‘Supporting tourism, the heart of our communities’, highlights the visitor economy’s social, cultural and economic impact.

Tourism in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent continues to boom, generating an estimated £2.3 billion for the local economy, employing over 24,000 people.

And now, the new Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) is set to boost tourism and grow the visitor economy even further.

Bringing together the private sector and the 10 local authorities from across the region the partnership will get the county and cities firmly on the map as a great visitor destination.

Staffordshire is already home to two of the UK’s leading theme parks, Drayton Manor Resort and the Alton Towers Resort, which relaunches its revamped Nemesis rollercoaster this Easter.  The county is also home to majestic countryside including the Peak District National Park, the National Forest and Cannock Chase – a designated National Landscape.

The city of Stoke-on-Trent boasts Middleport Pottery, Gladstone Pottery Museum, World of Wedgwood, Waterworld and The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery.

Other notable attractions include The Trentham Estate, the SnowDome, Uttoxeter Racecourse, the National Memorial Arboretum, and Lichfield Cathedral.

Historic houses and gardens also feature heavily in Staffordshire’s portfolio of world-class visitor attractions, together with museums and visitor centres that tell the story of the county’s pottery industry, brewing industry and rich industrial heritage.

Philip White, Deputy Leader at Staffordshire County Council and Interim Chair of Enjoy Staffordshire said: “Staffordshire really is a great place to visit and we’re incredibly proud of our tourism offer.

“We’re attraction central, the biggest and best playground in the country with something for everyone. We have two of the UK’s top theme parks and some of the country’s most spectacular outdoor scenery.

“We have national and international attractions like Alton Towers, the National Memorial Arboretum, Lichfield Cathedral, the National Forest and the National Football Centre at St George’s Park.

“Tourism is really booming here in the county but for many people we are still a relatively hidden treasure.  English Tourism Week gives us a great opportunity to shout about all our amazing attractions and locations and our wonderful hospitality.”

Jane Ashworth, Leader at Stoke-on-Trent City Council said: “We are incredibly lucky to be culturally rich in Stoke-on-Trent. We have attractions such as The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery and Gladstone Pottery Museum, Emma Bridgewater plus Middleport Pottery, that people from all over the country and other countries will come to visit.

“During English Tourism Week we are encouraging residents of the city to go and visit some of cultural venues and see everything we have to offer.”

To see what Staffordshire has to offer visit the Enjoy Staffordshire Website: www.enjoystaffordshire.com

Visitors to the county’s attractions and local tourism businesses are being urged to share their photos of their visits on social media using the hashtag #EnglishTourismWeek24