Latest News (Press Releases) - Visit West

Spring has arrived in Bristol and the city is in bloom. From Upfest street art festival to live music events, Easter activities to standout theatre – including the world premiere of The Greatest Showman: The Musical – the city has truly ‘Come Alive’! Take a look at Visit Bristol’s guide to what’s on this season. 

The 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup delivered more than a win for England’s Red Roses - Bristol has a win of its own, too.

A Bristol and Bath tour guide has reached the finalist stages for the prestigious VisitEngland Tourism Superstar award for 2026, with a public vote for the winner opening on 9 February. 

After a phenomenal 2025, Bath will continue to flourish in 2026, with plenty of new developments making it a vibrant city for visitors and residents alike. 

Bristol is gearing up for an unmissable 2026! The city shines as the only UK city in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel, welcomes its first 5-star hotel, and unveils the African Forest at Bristol Zoo Project. 2026 promises celebrations, milestones and unforgettable experiences in Bristol.  

Visit West announced today a value of £2.7bn for tourism to the region (Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset) in 2024, the highest ever direct spend from visitors recorded by the tourism body.

Where better to start your new Christmas tradition than in Bristol - the rebellious city with a big heart, where everybody’s welcome. From relaxing in a floating sauna on the Harbourside to stepping into the SPROUTER-verse at Wake the Tiger - Bristol brings a fun twist to every festive experience this season.

Bristol is the only UK city to be named by Lonely Planet as one of the top destinations in the world to visit in 2026, thanks to its incredible street art.

As the guide says: “No city in Britain uses its urban landscape as a canvas quite like Bristol,” with “some of the best street art anywhere in Europe”.

After coming 6th in 2024, Bath has been revealed today as the ‘Best UK City’ in Condé Nast Traveller magazine's 2025 Readers' Choice Awards, beating landmark cities including London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Cambridge and Liverpool to the no. 1 spot. 

After the roaring success of two quarter-final and both semi-final matches of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 being hosted at Ashton Gate Stadium, Visit West - the Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) for Bristol, Bath and the wider region - is reporting a boost to the visitor sector. 

Fresh from scooping two BAFTA awards for Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, the eagerly awaited Gromit Unleashed 3 trail has arrived in Bristol - the proud home of Aardman. This summer, over 50 beautifully designed and decorated sculptures are on display across the city, ready for visitors and locals to discover.