Luton's visitor economy
Find out why Luton is the place to be
Luton’s visitor economy is taking off, following the success of the biggest ever Radio 1 Big Weekend event in 2024 and building on a growing cultural scene and the best connected creative cluster outside of London.
With major developments on the way, including a new state of the art 25,000 capacity football stadium and live music venue, a new theatre and food court and nearby opportunities such as the proposed Universal Studios theme park, Luton is set to be at the heart of the most exciting and fast-growing visitor economy in the UK over the next decade.
Established festival town
Luton hosted the BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend in May 2024, the biggest in the event’s history, generating over £6.7m in economic impact, including £1.5m directly for the hospitality sector.
The event was held in Luton’s flagship Stockwood Park, just 45 minutes from Central London, welcoming over 50,000 unique visitors over 3 days. 97% of attendees left with a positive impression of the event itself, securing Luton’s place as a natural home for major events and festivals.
Upcoming developments
Two major developments, Power Court and The Stage are set to elevate the visitor economy in Luton over the next five years.
Power Court will be a new state of the art football stadium and live music venue at the heart of Luton town centre, attracting up to 25,000 fans per matchday. The latest plans for the site also include a new hotel with overall development set to grow the visitor economy by up to £250m per year.
The Stage is a mixed-use development at the entrance to Luton town centre that will bring a new multi-use theatre and community space as well as a state of the art food court. The project will help to grow Luton’s existing cultural offer and night-time economy upon completion in 2026.
Growing cultural scene
Luton has a vibrant cultural scene, which draws on the unique diversity of its people. Anchored around Luton International Carnival, the largest one-day carnival in Europe, held each May, the town also has a growing calendar of events, including Desi Fest, Diwali, EastFest, Lighting Up Luton, Luton Pride, St George’s Day, St Patrick’s Day and Turkfest.
The Luton Place Partnership programme is investing £1.9m in growing creative programming in Luton over the next three years, with support from the Arts Council England and Luton Rising. With major events attracting thousands of visitors to Luton each year, there are numerous opportunities to sponsor cultural events and activity.
Visitor economy offer
As well as major opportunities, Luton has a core visitor economy offer, from the global flavours of local restaurants to top attractions.
Luton is home to two museums, as well as six green flag parks and hidden gems such as the River Lea Walk. The town also has a diverse food offer, including South Asian, African-Caribbean and Mediterranean cuisine and several shopping districts, including the town centre, Luton Point and Bury Park.
The Step Forward Luton place app is a major asset that enables local businesses to showcase their food or retail offer, while promoting exclusive deals and discounts for visitors. The core offer for visitors in Luton provides a platform for investors to bring new opportunities.
