Liverpool v Leeds

[Gareth]

I always thought the boasting about Harvey Nichols was a bit embarrassing, to be honest. Used to get it on here all the time and it didn't exactly make Leeds sound that good either.

[Conor]

Originally Posted by belfastuniguy

Where's that from because Belfast should be 5th with 1.6 million



That was released in 2009 for 2008. Figures have increased since then, looking for figures now.

You sure that's right? I just could never see Belfast (or even Bristol) above Liverpool, Glasgow and Edinburgh in visitor nos.

[Madchester Guy]

Both cities have thier strengths but I see Liverpool as the superior.

[belfastuniguy]

Originally Posted by Conor

You sure that's right? I just could never see Belfast (or even Bristol) above Liverpool, Glasgow and Edinburgh in visitor nos.

Yes.

You'd be surprised how many visit Belfast. 7.1 million visited in 2008 alone.

14 May 2009

A record 7.1 million people visited Belfast in 2008.

Visitor numbers released today show that more people visited Belfast in 2008 than in any other year in the last decade.

This significant increase tops ten years of progressive growth for the City`s burgeoning tourism sector, generating £437 million for Belfast and benefiting the entire Northern Ireland economy.

The record results for tourism in the city were announced at Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau`s 10th anniversary celebrations at the Waterfront.

It demonstrates that, despite the economic downturn, Belfast`s tourism continues to grow significantly. The 2008 figures reveal that out-of-state visitors increased by 41per cent to 2.2million, and overnight visitors increased by 11 per cent to 1.6 million visitors.

As the gateway city to the rest of Northern Ireland, Belfast represents an important 65 per cent of visitors to the region.

I'll try and find the 2009 figures....

[yoshef]

Originally Posted by belfastuniguy

Yes.

You'd be surprised how many visit Belfast. 7.1 million visited in 2008 alone.

I'll try and find the 2009 figures....

That figure makes the figures in the Liverpool boat show spiel sound more plausible.

Thanks in part to the city's phenomenally successful Capital of Culture, as well as its football and music heritage, the city's brand awareness overseas is second only to London's. Overnight visits are estimated to be in the region of 9.1m a year, with day visits running at some 62m.

[belfastuniguy]

62 million seems a touch high, but CoC would have given it a big boost image wise.

[MattN]

I'm sure my long family history with Leeds means my experience is different to most, but I've always had a very clear idea of Leeds' history and identity (Yorkshire as a whole too has a very strong identity in my experience). Once one of the worlds' foremost wool manufacturing and trading centres, later branching out into all sorts, engineering, tanning, chemicals, foodstuffs etc. Basically it's the city that made all sorts, I think I've even seen a quote somewhere on the city photographic archives' spin-off site which gives a potted history of the place 'the city that made everything'. I appreciate this is probably little known, rather similar to Birmingham's self-description and a lot of my affinity with the place is down to family history though.

Not seen anything like enough of Liverpool, though I very much appreciate the special qualities of port cities and will be sure to get around to it soon enough!

[Urban Wurzel]

Both great cities from my experience but VERY different.

I have always felt that Leeds is a more forward thinking & dynamic city tbh & I'm not just saying that cause I now live there etc.

Liverpool did feel slightly grander & more cultured in some ways, but for me it lacked intensity & the sense of progression.

I did visit a few years ago though, so maybe things have changed since in the city.

[Brum X]

To me and somebody who is unbiased coming from Birmingham, i would say Liverpool and would say Liverpool has made more progress over the last couple of years, the turn around has been remarkable.
More people visit Liverpool and to me this is important, Leeds is way down the list, however it has a much bigger financial/legal centre but which is more important?????

Both have airports of similar size, but not very big.

Leeds in my opinion is more catered for students, but Liverpool is more catered for History and culture.

[Urban Wurzel]

Originally Posted by Brum X

Liverpool has made more progress over the last couple of years, the turn around has been remarkable.

That's the thing you see, last time I was there was prob 2004/05 so I'm sure things have changed a fair bit since capital of culture etc.

[Paul D]

Both have airports of similar size, but not very big.

Liverpool has the bigger airport.

[yoshef]

Originally Posted by Urban Wurzel

That's the thing you see, last time I was there was prob 2004/05 so I'm sure things have changed a fair bit since capital of culture etc.

yeah quite a few changes, parts of the city are unrecognisable from 2005.

[Urban Wurzel]

I'm gonna have to go back.

[geoff189d]

Liverpool!

[wiggleyleeds]

Originally Posted by Brum X

More people visit Liverpool and to me this is important, Leeds is way down the list, however it has a much bigger financial/legal centre but which is more important?????

Actually, more people visit Leeds when you combine both overseas visits, and over night stays from within the UK. (overseas visits make up just a tiny proportion of overnight visits to a city, most visits are from people within the uk).

A much bigger legal and financial centre is much much much more important. Yes, having more museums is great for visiting a city, but to actually live somewhere, people are much more concerned with better quality of life, better job prospects, much better shopping, nightlife, restaurants, much larger student poupulation, better leisure-defined cultural attractions such as ballet, theatre, and opera, and a city that is generally just more vibrant with much more oppurtunities, which is why places like manchester and leeds actively have people wanting to move there, whilst places such as liverpool/merseyside and birmingham have people actively moving away.

Of course, if I was visiting somewhere, despite more people choosing Leeds to visit, i personally would choose liverpool to visit, due to the greater variety of museums, however, if I was choosing somewhere to live, I would follow what the overwhelming majority do, and choose Leeds every time, for the reasons outlined above. However in 40 years say, Liverpool may have a better offering and things may have changed, however my guess is that costal places such as hull and liverpool will always struggle and be in decline in todays modern economy.

remeber, when you live somewhere, there is only so many times you will want to visit the same set of museums

[Brum X]

And when you are in your 30s and 40s there is only so many times you wanna live in a city full of sexed up students.

[wiggleyleeds]

Originally Posted by Brum X

And when you are in your 30s and 40s there is only so many times you wanna live in a city full of sexed up students.

Which is why thankfully Leeds has a superior restaurant scene, shopping scene, and better cultural-lesiure related activities such as ballet, theatre, and opera, which people *do* visit regularly, unlike museums. The massive wealth of employment prospects and oppurtunities also means those in their 30s and 40s would find Leeds preferable, not to mention the hugely better quality of life.

[Brum X]

But if you visit Liverpool you should not miss out on The Philharmonic Hall, home to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra led by the celebrated Vasily Petrenko. As well as fully orchestrated classical concerts, The Philharmonic Hall also stages all kinds of musical events, from jazz to contemporary music, Elvis Costello live to choral renditions of the full Beatles’ repertoire.

[Brum X]

Liverpool has every kind of restaurant, from sleek fine dining to independent bistros and high street favourites, and it can tick just about every box in terms of international cuisine, ranging from top Indians to spicy Thais.

Head to 60 Hope Street for classic, gourmet dishes and sample its signature dessert – a deep fried jam sandwich with Carnation milk ice cream.

[Everything Manc]

For me.Its got to be Liverpool.Leeds is great place.But I think Liverpool appeals to me more and thats comming from a manc.