Building a buzz: A thriving city centre

Enhanced connectivity, coupled with a growing city centre population, contributes significantly to Manchester and Salford's distinctive buzz and its continued growth trajectory; however, realising the region's full potential hinges on securing critical infrastructure projects and establishing a clear vision for "Network North."  

A magnet for residents and visitors alike 

The city centre is thriving, boasting a vibrant tourist and nighttime economy that enhances its diverse appeal as a desirable place to live, work, study, and invest. 

Transformative regeneration has established Manchester and Salford as world-class tourist destinations, with their dynamic 24/7 cultural scene across music, arts, sport, and nightlife. This attracts a diverse and vibrant population of new residents and visitors. Activity every night of the week is bolstered by the critical mass of residents now living in the city centre. 

Manchester and Salford's diverse appeal spans demographics, from young professionals drawn to its booming digital and tech sectors, with the city being home to over 10,000 tech companies and boasting a digital tech turnover of £5 billion, to families seeking high-quality schools and amenities such as the recent expansion of green spaces like Mayfield Park. 

As a consequence, residential-led regeneration, with circa 29,500 homes being constructed in the last 10 years, has fuelled impressive population growth in the city centre, projected to surpass 100,000 in the coming years. This influx of residents contributes significantly to the city's vibrancy. 

Tourism and economic impact 

Manchester and Salford's appeal translates into significant economic benefits. 

Despite pandemic-related setbacks, Manchester and Salford's tourism industry demonstrated its resilience, rebounding to generate billions in tourism revenue and support thousands of tourism related jobs. The economic value of tourism to the Greater Manchester region is estimated at £8.7 billion, with Manchester alone accounting for £4.65 billion and supporting 45,600 jobs.  

Consumer confidence reached a five-year high in 2024, with a resurgence in leisure spending and more money being spent on dining out, drinking and holidays than any other year since the pandemic.  This bodes well for Manchester and Salford's tourism and hospitality sectors. In recent years, Manchester has garnered widespread acclaim as a top tourist destination, featured in publications such as the New York Times, Time Out, Lonely Planet, and AFAR. This level of profile is critical to supporting the growth of the visitor economy and attracting new residents. 

Interconnectivity and a holistic approach 

It could be argued that there is a strong interdependency between residential, leisure, and experiential development. Manchester and Salford have fostered a holistic and lifestyle-driven approach to urban development that prioritises a mix of uses to attract residents, visitors, and businesses alike.   

Within the Crane Survey area (and therefore excluding the completion of Co-op Live) 744,378 sq. ft. of new retail and leisure floorspace has been completed since 2019. A further 213,000 sq. ft. is due to complete construction in the next three years, integrated into mixed use developments. The opening of Factory, following shortly after by Co-op Live Arena in 2024 has significantly boosted the already thriving nighttime economy.  Daytrips and overnight stays are estimated to bring 200,000 visitors to the city each weekend, drawn by this level of investment in the buzz of the city.  As such, hotel occupancy remains at 75% year-round despite 3,012 new hotel beds added in the Crane Survey area in the last five years. 

In 2024, construction commenced at Premier Inn on Rochdale Road, adding to the pipeline and ongoing construction of St Michael's. All of this aligns with Deloitte's European Hotel Industry and Investment Survey 2024, which highlights the resilience of the sector in Manchester – placing the city as the UK's third most attractive city for hotel investment in 2025. Despite a return to more normal growth patterns following the post-pandemic boom, consumer spending on travel remains a priority, keeping demand for hotels healthy.