The Liverpool waterfront complex, which comprises bars, restaurants, museums, shops and hotels, also saw a 29% year-on-year growth in coaches. Tony McDonough reports.

Liverpool’s Albert Dock saw visitor numbers surge 8% to a record-breaking 6.3m in 2016 – contributing an estimated £13m to the city’s tourism economy.

The waterfront complex, which comprises bars, restaurants, museums, shops and hotels, also saw a 29% year-on-year growth in coaches.

The figures were enhanced by the launch of a new programme of free, family events in 2016, including Steam, Vintage, Folk, Heritage and Pirate festivals.

Click hear to watch a video overview of the dock’s strategy to grow visitor numbers

It is announced today that all these events will return in 2017 and will build on last year with new additions to the schedule.

December saw the spectacular 4D projection ‘Countdown to Christmas’ lighting spectacular resulting in a 29% uplift against the same period of December 2015.

The projection was brought about thanks to a collaboration with immersive technology specialists Crucial FX and National Museums Liverpool.

World-class exhibitions at Tate Liverpool included Francis Bacon: Invisible Rooms, Tracey Emin and William Blake: In Focus, Yves Klein.

Merseyside Maritime Museum offered In safe hands: the story of the Liverpool Pilots, and the International Slavery Museum put on Afro Supa Hero.

Sue Grindrod, chief executive, Albert Dock Liverpool, said: “We knew we were heading into 2016 with the challenge of matching the spectacular Three Queens event of 2015 – which was an event that attracted unprecedented crowds to the city’s waterfront.

“We also knew there was a gap in the city’s event programme of 2016 and that as a private sector company, there was an opportunity that we could help to supplement the calendar.

“Therefore, a significant investment was made in revitalising our annual event programme for 2016, which included bringing back some favourites with a new twist, like Pirate Festival and Vintage with Wayne Hemingway, and new commissions never-before-seen on Liverpool’s waterfront.

Events confirmed for 2017, include:

• Steam on the Dock (May 6-7) – The UK’s only inner-city steam rally.
• The British Style Collective presented by The Clothes Show in association with Alcatel (July 7-9).
• Folk Festival on the Dock (August 26-28).
• Heritage on the Dock (September 7-10)
• Pirate Festival on the Dock (September 16-17).