Bristol Hoteliers Association show their support for YTL Arena Bristol

YTL’s plans to create an arena for Bristol have won the support of Bristol hoteliers.

Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA) is a non-profit organisation that represents 40 hotels and works alongside Bristol City Council and national government to attract more business to the city. 

YTL has submitted  a planning application to  build a 365-day-a-year entertainment complex on the former Filton airfield site. The complex will include a 17,080 capacity arena, a large exhibition space and food, drink and leisure facilities. 

Raphael Herzog, Chair of the Bristol Hoteliers Association, and General Manager of De Vere Tortworth Court Hotel said: “As Chair and on behalf of the Bristol Hoteliers Association, we are fully behind this project. The arena has been talked about for over 30 years and it is now time to get the project up and running. Seeing an arena would be such a great boost for the city and something the city has been missing for years.”

As well as the BHA, a number of individual hotels including The Bristol Marriot Royal Hotel, The Bristol and the De Vere Tortworth Court Hotel have voiced their support to Bristol City Council, urging them to consider the enormous benefits a venue of this size would bring to the hospitality sector. 

Mark Payne, General Manager of The Bristol, said: “YTL Arena will be a beacon of positivity for the region and the hospitality sector. With the arena adding 500 new jobs and being privately funded, it is a tremendous attribute to our region, not to mention the estimated £1.5bn it will be worth to the local economy over the subsequent years.

“In 2021, we are expecting an additional 1,000 hotel bedrooms to be available in the city, and 2022 is looking similar. The delivery of an arena is paramount to ensuring our businesses remain sustainable and viable in the long term.”

Earlier this month, YTL Arena Bristol presented their plans to the Bristol Hoteliers Association. It is estimated that the arena will bring 1.4million visitors to Bristol annually, increasing overnight stays and tourism spend to the city worth an estimated £60 million a year.  

The YTL Arena team will work closely with city partners including Destination Bristol and the BHA to promote overnight stays and tourism.

Andrew Billingham, Managing Director of YTL Arena Bristol said: “It was a privilege to present to the Hoteliers Association. It is very clear that YTL Arena Complex is a critical project for continued hotel growth and business sustainability. We are committed to creating an arena complex that everyone can benefit from and be proud of.”