Beatles festival tourists fly in despite airport alerts

Aug 19 2006 By Jessica Shaughnessy Daily Post Staff

INTERNATIONAL Beatle Week is set to deliver another tourism bonanza for Merseyside next week, with hotels in the region already 90% full.

But the airline terror alerts are having a moderate effect with some performers and visitors cancelling their trips.

Former Hollies star Terry Sylvester has cancelled his gig, saying he was afraid to fly, just four days before the beginning of the festival, on the same day as a party of 40 from Kentucky cancelled their trip because of the terrorist threat.

However, a record 60,000 people will still pass through Liverpool John Lennon Airport during the week, building up to the Mathew Street Festival over the bank holiday weekend.

Nearly 8,500 people will fly into the city for the events every day next week - that's a 5% increase on last year.

More than 90% of the city's hotel accommodation has been booked, even though Creamfields, which is held on the same weekend, has moved out of Liverpool.

Martin King, director of tourism at The Mersey Partnership, said: "Merseyside's tourist industry is ready to deliver another bumper pay day for the region's economy.

"Our own research last year confirmed the real economic impact of these events. For example, Mathew Street Festival alone generated more than £32m for the region.

"The next 10 days are one of the busiest periods in our hectic schedule of events and festivals. There's Southport Flower Show, the Premiership kick-off, International Beatle Week, Mathew Street and Creamfields.

"Nowhere in the UK can offer such a range of appealing, world-class events, and the region's hotels will be as busy as ever. We know lots of visitors to last year's Mathew Street festival booked their accommodation for 2006 before they left last year."