Birmingham’s hospitality sector sets the record straight on the city’s reputation for cleanliness

Birmingham’s hospitality sector has pushed back against misconceptions surrounding the city’s perception of cleanliness, particularly in light of recent bin strikes that began in March 2025. Whilst waste has accumulated in some residential areas due to these strikes, the city centre remains clean and well-maintained, with most businesses relying on private refuse collection services rather than the local council.

Birmingham's hospitality industry continues to thrive. In 2023, the Greater Birmingham tourism industry generated $2.52 billion in economic impact, supported 51,550 jobs, and contributed $296 million in state and local taxes. Additionally, the city hosted 3.96 million overnight visitors in 2023, a 4.5% increase over 2022.

Emma Morgan, co-chair of Birmingham Hospitality Association, said: “Despite the media narrative, Birmingham remains resilient and continues to provide its guests with excellent hospitality experiences. The city centre areas are waste free and offer a level of cleanliness higher than other major cities including London and Birmingham [source 2024 study by Waste Direct]: It’s inspiring to see how the city has not only weathered these challenges but has continued to flourish, experiencing consistent year-on-year growth and offering a vibrant calendar of events to keep visitors coming back.”

Looking forward, Birmingham is gearing up for an exciting Easter weekend with many fun-filled events across the city centre. The city’s largest-ever roller coaster is coming to the city centre as part of its Spring Funfest at Centenary Square. Cadbury World, one of its most iconic attractions and home to the world’s largest Cadbury’s Cream Egg, is also hosting Easter-themed events such as egg hunts and chocolate-making demonstrations.

This comes as VisitEngland reported that 10.6 million Brits are planning to book overnight holiday trips during Easter weekend. This is estimated to bring in a £3.9 million boost for the economy and is higher than the 6.7 million Brits (12%) that plan to holiday abroad. A further 3.4 million remained undecided, with the main reasons being that they were waiting to see what the weather was like and waiting to see whether they could afford it.

For more information holiday activities in Birmingham www.visitbirmingham.com/whats-on/easter