VisitBlackpool

What VisitBlackpool does

VisitBlackpool is the official destination marketing organization for Blackpool and the Fylde Coast in the United Kingdom, operating the consumer-facing tourism portal visitblackpool.com. It centralizes tourist information, attraction and event listings, accommodation search, and trip-planning resources for visitors to Britain's most-visited seaside resort. The company is formally categorized as private with 11–50 employees and is headquartered at PO Box 4, Blackpool, FY1 1NA. Its remit extends beyond digital content into coordinating flagship events, most notably the Blackpool Illuminations — a 140+ year-old annual light festival running 66 nights across nearly six miles of promenade with one million lamps and 500+ designs.

The underlying technology is a Destination Management System (DMS) that powers the VisitBlackpool website's marketing, attraction listings, and accommodation booking. The DMS feeds accredited-property listings to the Lancashire & Blackpool Tourist Board website and integrates with Eviivo Frontdesk so that accommodation providers can link availability directly to the platform. Additional technical components include Google Analytics for web measurement and a partner extranet for managing listings. Sub-brands include Culture Blackpool, a cultural events and heritage programming arm covering theatre, exhibitions, festivals, and art. The organization also operates the Resort Pass, a bundled attraction-ticketing product, and partners with Eventim for ticket distribution on the annual Illuminations Switch-On event.

VisitBlackpool's commercial model is transaction- and commission-based. Revenue is generated via ticket sales commissions on attractions and events (Blackpool Tower, Blackpool Zoo, Sandcastle Waterpark, SEA LIFE, Madame Tussauds, shows, and events) and through marketplace commissions on accommodation bookings (hotels, B&Bs, self-catering, and holiday homes). Pricing is unit-based and pay-as-you-go across the merchant catalog, with no disclosed subscription tiers. Customers are segmented across Family Tourists, Event and Festival Attendees, Entertainment Seekers, Culture and Heritage Enthusiasts, and Nature and Outdoor Enthusiasts, supplemented by dedicated flows for Group Travel Organizers, Business Conference Planners, and Wedding Parties. Key partners include Merlin Entertainments (Blackpool Tower), Eventim, BBC Radio Lancashire, Wyre Council, and Eviivo.

Name

VisitBlackpool

Legal name

VisitBlackpool

Website

https://visitblackpool.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

VisitBlackpool is the official destination marketing organization for Blackpool, UK, providing tourist information, attraction and accommodation booking, and event coordination — including the iconic annual Blackpool Illuminations — for visitors to the resort.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Marketing and Tourism Services

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591), Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Permitting, Reservations & Visitor Information Services (Passes, Booking, Visitor Centers) (THAAAGAD)

Keywords

• Destination marketing organization
• Tourist information services
• Attraction ticket booking
• Accommodation booking platform
• Event coordination services

Headquarters

HQ city

Blackpool

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales Commission: VisitBlackpool facilitates ticket sales for attractions and events including Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Blackpool Tower, Blackpool Zoo, Sandcastle Waterpark, shows and events. The organization sells tickets through its website, earning commission on transactions.
2. Accommodation Booking Services: The organization's Destination Management System powers accommodation booking services on the website, enabling visitors to book hotels, B&Bs, self-catering, and holiday homes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

VisitBlackpool operates the official destination marketing website for Blackpool, providing tourist information, trip-planning tools, and online booking for attractions, shows, events, and accommodation. The organization coordinates major events including the Blackpool Illuminations, Air Show, and cultural festivals, and runs an internal Destination Management System that aggregates third-party attraction and accommodation listings. It earns commissions on attraction ticket sales and accommodation bookings transacted through its platform.

Product overview

VisitBlackpool operates as a destination marketing organization providing a comprehensive tourist information platform. The core offerings include the VisitBlackpool Tourist Information Website (the main consumer-facing portal), the Destination Management System (DMS) for partners to manage their listings and availability, and the Accommodation Booking Services. The ecosystem also includes Culture Blackpool for cultural events and the Blackpool Illuminations as a flagship seasonal attraction. The Resort Pass serves as a bundled ticketing add-on. The platform connects visitors with attractions, shows, accommodation, and events across the Blackpool resort area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Culture Blackpool: Cultural events and heritage programming arm of VisitBlackpool covering theatre, exhibitions, festivals and art
• Destination Management System (DMS)

Products and services

• VisitBlackpool Tourist Information Website Official destination marketing website providing tourist information, things to do, attractions, accommodation listings, events, shows, and travel planning resources for Blackpool visitors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3 million annual visitors to Blackpool
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Lancashire & Blackpool Tourist BoardcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVisitBlackpool's Destination Management System feeds information to the Lancashire & Blackpool Tourist Board website for all accredited properties, enabling listings and promotion across the regional tourism network.
• Eviivo FrontdeskcoreTechnology or IntegrationUsers of Eviivo Frontdesk can link their availability to the VisitBlackpool Destination Management System, enabling real-time accommodation availability updates on the VisitBlackpool website and booking platform.
• BBC Radio LancashireflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerVisitBlackpool collaborates with BBC Radio Lancashire for the Illuminations Switch-On event. The evening is hosted by BBC Radio Lancashire presenters Graham Liver and Sharon Hartley. BBC Introducing showcases regional up-and-coming talent.
• EventimcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEventim handles ticket distribution for the Switch-On event ballot and Golden Circle ticket sales. The official Eventim app is used for e-ticket delivery and arena entry scanning.
• Merlin Entertainments (Blackpool Tower)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMerlin Entertainments operates The Blackpool Tower and associated attractions including The Blackpool Tower Dungeon, The Blackpool Tower Eye, The Blackpool Tower Ballroom, and The Blackpool Tower Circus. These are featured prominently on VisitBlackpool.
• The Dungeons (Merlin)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Blackpool Tower Dungeon Escape Rooms is operated by The Dungeons. VisitBlackpool lists this attraction and coordinates promotion.
• Ant DickinsonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital artist and musician Ant Dickinson created the 'Guardians of the North' Tower Projection for 2025, featuring dragons that interact with the Blackpool Tower during Illuminations.
• Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen / Cecile Llewelyn-BowenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIlluminations Curator Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and his daughter Cecile created the 'Enchanted Blackpool' Tower Projection show, with Cecile bringing her father's designs to life.
• Madame Tussauds BlackpoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMadame Tussauds Blackpool features wax figures including Taylor Swift as part of Blackpool's 'Showtown' promotion. Listed as a major attraction.
• Wyre CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWyre Council presents the Fleetwood's Food, Fish and Music Festival, a new flagship event celebrating Fleetwood's maritime heritage.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Tripadvisor: Global travel marketplace with attraction ticketing, accommodation referral, and review content that overlaps with VisitBlackpool's marketplace commissions and visitor information services, though at vastly larger scale and via a different business model.
• VisitBritain: UK's national tourism agency promoting Britain to international visitors; overlaps with VisitBlackpool's visitor information and destination-marketing remit but operates at the country level with a wider portfolio.
• VisitEngland: National tourism agency for England that oversees the broader domestic visitor economy, of which VisitBlackpool is a regional partner feed via the Lancashire & Blackpool Tourist Board; comparable DMO function but at country scale.

Direct peers

• Choose Chicago: Official DMO for Chicago delivering visitor information, attraction/event promotion, and accommodation referrals through a destination website — directly analogous operating model to VisitBlackpool at city-DMO level.
• VisitBrighton: Official tourism DMO for Brighton & Hove, a UK seaside destination with comparable coastal-resort positioning, accommodation marketplace, attraction listings, and seasonal event programming parallel to VisitBlackpool.
• Visit York: Destination marketing organization for York, operating a similar model of tourism information, accommodation booking, and event/attraction promotion for a UK city/regional destination.
• Marketing Manchester (Visit Manchester): Official destination marketing organization for Manchester with a similar mandate of visitor information, event coordination, and accommodation booking services for a major UK city/region. Closely mirrors VisitBlackpool's mix of DMS-style booking, partner listings, and event promotion.

Regional players

• Visit Dublin: Official tourism organization for Dublin offering visitor information, event listings, and accommodation search through a similar DMO website; comparable business model but serving a different market geography.
• VisitScotland: National tourism body for Scotland operating a destination-marketing, accommodation-listing, and event-promotion model directly parallel to VisitBlackpool, but focused on a different UK nation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/visitBlackpool
• YouTubeyoutube.com/visitblackpool
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/I-Love-Blackpool/108648212522969
• Instagraminstagram.com/visitblackpool
• TikToktiktok.com/@visitblackpool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/visitblackpool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VisitBlackpool