LIVERPOOL’S Albert Dock is this week reporting a rise in footfall during the first quarter of this year.

The city’s most visited free tourist destination saw footfall figures in February and March rise 30% and 12% respectively year-on-year, with the February half-term being one of the busiest weeks in the month.

The bars and restaurants at the Albert Dock benefited from an average increase of 17% in visitor numbers in March, with an average spending increase of 10%.

The dock attractions, which include the Beatles Story, the Yellow Boat Cruise and the Yellow Duckmarine, also reported an increase of 16% for both visitor numbers and visitor spending.

The dock has been developing a number of strategies to increase visitor numbers including a full events programme and the creations of a groups and tours offer, which was officially launched in early March at the Great Days Out Fair.

There has also been a 32% increase of traffic to the website and a dramatic increase in e-newsletter sign ups and enquiries.

The Dock will be hosting a number of events from an Easter Egg Hunt and Parade at the weekend, to large-scale entertainment over summer.

The developments are part of an ongoing strategic campaign to further increase the number of day-time visitors to the dock and capitalise on Liverpool’s tourist economy.

Jeremy Roberts, chairman of the Albert Dock Business Tenants Association, said: “We are pleased to report these early results – the year ahead is going to be action-packed, with some very exciting events.

“The dock is one of the crown jewels of Liverpool’s tourist economy and all of the dock tenants continuously work very hard to ensure every visitor has an experience which makes them want to return time and again.”

In recent years, the dock has refocused its strategy away from being a retail destination, instead aiming more at the visitor market.

There are now two hotels on site and the dock has benefited from the success of the nearby Echo Arena and BT Convention Centre.