Birmingham’s accommodation sector has voted to establish the city’s first Accommodation Business Improvement District (ABID), creating a new industry-led model for investment in the city’s visitor economy.
The ballot saw 64% of votes cast in favour, while businesses representing 59% of the total rateable value also backed the 2027–2032 business plan. Turnout was 54%.
The new ABID will bring accommodation providers together to fund and deliver initiatives aimed at attracting more visitors and strengthening Birmingham’s position as a UK business and leisure destination.
The initiative has been developed by the Birmingham Hospitality Association, with support from Birmingham Colmore, and follows similar accommodation-led investment models in Manchester and Liverpool.
Joanne Gray, who led the ABID’s development and is Co-Chair of the Birmingham Hospitality Association said:
“This is a landmark moment for Birmingham’s accommodation sector. We are thrilled that Birmingham accommodation providers have voted decisively in favour of the Accommodation BID and have recognised the benefits of coming together behind a shared vision for our city.
The successful ballot provides us with a powerful platform to invest in Birmingham’s visitor economy, strengthen our destination offer and ensure the accommodation sector has a strong, unified voice. We would like to thank every business that engaged with the process and supported this important initiative, we can’t wait to get started.”
Photo Credit:- West Midlands Growth Company
Neil Rami, Chief Executive at West Midlands Growth Company, said: “We warmly welcome the successful ballot result and congratulate everyone involved in bringing the Accommodation BID to fruition.
The Birmingham Accommodation BID will play a vital role in strengthening Birmingham’s ability to attract major conferences, festivals, exhibitions and business events. By strengthening collaboration across the sector and investing in subvention and destination development, the BID will help ensure Birmingham both remains highly competitive and an attractive place to visit, stay and do business.”
The ABID is due to begin delivering its business plan on the 1st April 2027, working with accommodation providers, the Birmingham Hospitality Association, the West Midlands Growth Company and other visitor-economy partners.
The scheme is intended to give Birmingham’s accommodation businesses a dedicated mechanism to collectively invest in initiatives designed to support occupancy, visitor spending and longer-term destination growth.
For more information visit:- https://birminghamhospitality.co.uk/abid/.
