Celebrate World Tourism Day in Beautiful Berkshire

Visitors to Berkshire spend an estimated £1.4 billion a year in the county, according to latest estimates.

And according to statistics released by Visit England, nearly 18,000 people are employed across a variety of attractions, hotels, and leisure and culture destinations that support tourism in the county.

World Tourism Day 2026 is on Sunday 27 September and people are being encouraged to take some time exploring everything Berkshire has to offer.

Created by the United Nations in 1980, World Tourism Day aims to raise awareness of the social, cultural, political and economic impact of tourism. This year, the focus is the integration of AI and digital innovation to reimagine tourism experiences.

To celebrate World Tourism Day in Berkshire, here are some suggestions of things to do:

• Don’t have a ticket to see the original? Visit Britain’s Bayeux Tapestry in Reading. You can see it in Reading Museum in the specially designed Gallery, or book on a tour from 2 – 3pm on Saturdays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Bayeux Tapestry Tours | What's On Reading

• Cliveden in Maidenhead is open from 9.30am to 5.30pm, offering access to its famous gardens, woodlands, and historic estate Cliveden | Buckinghamshire | National Trust or learn about the history of Greenham Common and visit the Control Tower where you can enjoy panoramic views across the common and envisage the scene when it was used in the Second World War. Greenham Common Control Tower

• The Windsor & Eton Brewery runs local craft beer tours on Saturday afternoons and acts as a key independent stop along the Thames footpath Windsor & Eton or try out Siren Craft Brew in Finchampstead, as well as in Reading - Tap Yard by Siren Craft Brew – Premium Products & Trusted Quality

• There are plenty of outdoor adventure spaces in the county - like Wellington Country Park Your Visit | Wellington Country Park and Beale Wildlife Park Beale Wildlife Park | Family Fun & Conservation in Berkshire which are popular choices for celebrating local, sustainable nature tourism. Or visit The Look Out Discovery Centre in Bracknell The Look Out Discovery Centre | Bracknell Forest Council for a fun- filled day out.

• Prefer to stay indoors? Try out Slough’s new Mega City which is an all-weather indoor activity centre where you can find a variety of activities including bowling, laser tag and karaoke rooms Mega City or visit Bracknell’s Coral Reef Waterworld Coral Reef Waterworld | Bracknell's Water World | Swim, Slides & Spa

• If the weather is nice, why not enjoy a day on the water? You could take a river trip from Caversham Boat Trips On The Thames | Thames Rivercruise or Windsor French Brothers River Thames passenger boat cruises or pop on a canal boat at Newbury - Book A Trip - Kennet & Avon Canal Trust

People can keep up to date with tourism ideas and activities by following the Visit Berkshire social media accounts. You can find them on Instagram and Facebook . https://www.instagram.com/visitberkshireuk/    https://www.facebook.com/visitberkshireuk

Visit Berkshire was accredited by Visit Britain in January 2025. It was launched to bring together the work which takes place across the county’s six council areas (Bracknell Forest Council, Reading Borough Council, Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead, Slough Borough Council, West Berkshire Council and Wokingham Borough Council) to promote Berkshire, providing an opportunity for collaboration to the local tourism industry.

The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead leads on tourism on behalf of the Berkshire Prosperity Board and run Visit Berkshire.

Councillor Simon Werner, Leader of the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead, says:

“Tourism is a huge sector right across Berkshire which brings over £1 billion to the county and maybe doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves.

"We have such a huge amount to show to visitors to Berkshire, from historic Royal castles to fun-filled amusement parks, racecourses to world-famous festivals.

“We have over 120 businesses and organisations working with us to attract, welcome, service and manage visitors to Berkshire. The benefits are clear in the money being generated through tourism and the huge number of people employed.

“There is so much for residents to see and enjoy in Berkshire on World Tourism Day so why not try something new? It may surprise you.”

Iain Terry MVO, Chair of Visit Berkshire, says:

"World Tourism Day is the perfect opportunity for us to celebrate not only Berkshire's outstanding attractions and destinations, but also the thousands of people who work with us across our visitor economy and help create memorable experiences every day.

“From our Royal heritage and historic towns, to beautiful countryside, cultural venues and thriving hospitality sector, Berkshire offers an incredible range of experiences for both residents and visitors.

“Whether you're discovering somewhere new or rediscovering a local favourite, World Tourism Day is the perfect time to explore Berkshire!"

Visit Berkshire has been created through the Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) within the structure of the Berkshire Prosperity Board.

The LVEP brings together organisations from across Berkshire to support the growth of the local visitor economy.

Berkshire Prosperity Board aims to drive and deliver economic prosperity across Berkshire with the aim of securing more funding, creating more jobs and enabling more affordable housing for residents.

Berkshire has played a hugely significant role in driving the UK economy in recent decades. It has great connectivity and is home to the UK’s Silicon Valley, as well as many innovative and international businesses, and has a highly skilled workforce.

Working together provides a more powerful voice than each Council would have individually, helping to effectively lobby Government, secure more finance from both public and private investors, and to be an attractive location for inward investment.

Picture of Bayeux Gallery in Reading: Credit - Reading Museum / Reading Borough Council