Why Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s £2B Visitor Economy Needs Education and Employers at the Same Table

With major investment and ambitious plans set to grow Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s £2 billion visitor economy, how can we ensure local people and businesses benefit?

James Whybrow, Vice Principal for Apprenticeships and Higher Education at Inspire Education Group, explores why employers and education providers need to work together now to build the skills and workforce our region will need for the future.

James hosted a discussion table as IEG hosted a Peterborough-focused NEET Roundtable alongside Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes in June 2026. Photo: Peter Oliver

Why Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s £2B Visitor Economy Needs Education and Employers at the Same Table

By James Whybrow, Vice Principal – Apprenticeships and Higher Education, Inspire Education Group

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough has an extraordinary opportunity ahead.

VisitEngland’s approval of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) status, alongside the Combined Authority’s adoption of the five-year Destination Management Plan (DMP), represents an important moment for our region.

But the real opportunity goes beyond attracting more visitors. It is about what this growth can mean for the people who live here: new jobs, stronger businesses, career pathways and opportunities to develop the higher-level skills our economy will increasingly demand.

That is where Further and Higher Education have a vital role to play.

A line-up of the Platform Party as IEG's University Centre Peterborough hosted its annual Graduation ceremony at Peterborough Cathedral in September 2026. Photo: Peter Oliver

Turning regional ambition into opportunity

The LVEP and Destination Management Plan complement the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Growth Plan and our region’s Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), creating an opportunity to connect economic growth and workforce development much more closely.

Our visitor economy already has considerable economic weight. Tourism and hospitality contribute £2 billion annually to our regional economy and support 40,000 jobs. Across the wider East of England, visitor spending drives over £12.1 billion in GDP and accounts for 5.8% of the region’s workforce.

But strategies, investment and destination brands do not build an economy on their own.

People do.

At Inspire Education Group, we see our role as bridging the gap between education and industry demand, ensuring employers can access a highly skilled and adaptable workforce through higher technical qualifications, degree apprenticeships and specialised industry training.

That relationship between skills and economic growth is only going to become more important.

IEG won Training Provider of the Year at the Peterborough Telegraph Apprenticeship Awards 2026 for the second year running. Photo: David Lowndes

A region undergoing significant change

Look at what is happening around us.

The £48m+ redevelopment of Peterborough’s Station Quarter is transforming the city’s gateway, just 42 minutes from central London.

At London Stansted, a major £600m terminal expansion is unlocking capacity for up to 51 million passengers, while the upcoming Universal United Kingdom Resort in neighbouring Bedfordshire is expected to bring millions of international and domestic visitors into our regional corridor.

Alongside this, East West Rail, linking Oxford, Bedford and Cambridge, and investment in the East Coast Main Line are strengthening connectivity.

These developments join assets already on our doorstep, from Peterborough Cathedral and Burghley House to the Fens and Cambridge.

The question, therefore, is not simply: how do we attract more people here?

It is: how do we make sure local people and businesses benefit from that growth?

James Whybrow was recognised in the 'Talent Champion' category in the Peterborough Top 100 by the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce, while CEO of Inspire Education Group Rachel Nicholls was recognised in the Business Leader and Civic Leader categories.

The visitor economy is also a skills economy

There is still a misconception that careers within tourism and hospitality are predominantly temporary or seasonal.

Nationally, 46% of restaurant and hospitality workers are aged 16 to 24, making the visitor economy an important entry point into the labour market for young people.

But an entry point should not be an end point.

Leadership, financial management, cross-cultural communication, digital operations and service excellence are all skills that can provide foundations for long-term careers.

As Peterborough develops its offer across business events, cultural heritage and regional leisure, we will need people across event management, hospitality leadership, digital marketing, sustainable tourism, operations and other professional and technical careers.

Through Further Education, Higher Education and apprenticeships, we can create pathways into those careers and help people continue progressing once they enter the sector – turning entry-level opportunities into lifelong, high-value careers.

Employers need to be part of the conversation

Education cannot determine what the future workforce needs in isolation.

Employers need to help shape it.

At Inspire Education Group, businesses already work with us through curriculum co-design and Industry Advisory Boards, helping to shape courses, higher technical qualifications and apprenticeships around the skills industry needs.

There are other ways to get involved too. T Levels and industry placements connect employers with emerging talent; targeted upskilling and degree apprenticeships at University Centre Peterborough can develop existing employees into higher-level roles; and live industry projects allow businesses to bring genuine challenges into education for students to tackle.

As our regional economy changes, these relationships will become even more important.

We should not wait for skills shortages to emerge and then ask education to respond.

We should be designing the workforce alongside employers now.

In early 2026, James attended a House of Commons roundtable to discuss the development of green skills in Peterborough to support the UK’s clean energy mission.

Building the workforce to match

The Destination Management Plan signals an exciting new chapter for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, but its success should not be measured solely by visitor numbers.

It should also be visible in the opportunities created for the people who live and work here: stronger career pathways, higher-level skills, productive businesses and sustainable economic growth.

The framework is in place. The ambition is clear.

Now, employers and education need to build the workforce to match.

If you are an employer interested in working with Inspire Education Group, shaping future skills through our Industry Advisory Boards or exploring how we can support your organisation’s talent pipeline, contact us to find out more.