Leeds experience economy booms as immersive attractions grow

New research from Grant Thornton estimates around 1 million people in and around Leeds tried an immersive experience last year.

The Leeds experience economy is booming, with people increasingly spending on things to do rather than material things, new research suggests. A report from professional services firm Grant Thornton estimates that around 1 million people in and around Leeds attended an immersive experience in the past 12 months, from virtual-reality attractions to participatory events. The firm says the sector is being driven by a craving for escapism, face-to-face connection and shared moments, and, perhaps counter-intuitively, by the rise of AI, which it says is making real-world, human experiences feel more valuable.

Why This Matters For Leeds

Immersive and experience-led attractions are pulling spending into the city’s hospitality, retail and leisure businesses, and appears to give Yorkshire a reason to stay local rather than head to London or Manchester. The caveat is that these are modelled estimates from a single firm’s research. But the direction it signals and the opportunity for Leeds operators and investors in the space looks real.

What’s driving the Leeds experience economy

The research, produced with Experience UK and academics at King’s College London, points to a generational shift. Grant Thornton found that 40% of UK adults are prioritising spending on experiences over material things, rising to 54% among 18- to 34-year-olds, while two in five say ‘digital overload’ is pushing them towards activities where they feel more present. Leeds, long known for its nightlife, music and sport, has become a hotspot for immersive attractions – experiences where audiences take part rather than just watch. The firm highlights Titanic: A Voyage Through Time, a virtual-reality experience that transports visitors back to 1912 to explore the ship. The academics behind the report argue that as AI spreads, demand for live, human experiences that cannot be automated will only grow.

“People in Yorkshire no longer need to head to London for a top-level experience.”

— Douglas Tailby, Partner, Grant Thornton UK, Leeds

A £425m boost for the regional economy

Grant Thornton‘s economic modelling puts real numbers on the Leeds experience economy and the wider region. It estimates that immersive experiences generated £425m in spending across Yorkshire and the Humber over the past year, contributing £216m in GVA and supporting around 3,241 full-time-equivalent jobs – figures that include the knock-on effect through supply chains and workers’ spending. The benefit spills into other businesses, too: of those in the region who went to an immersive experience, 39% said they also went shopping locally and 30% ate or drank at a nearby business. Douglas Tailby, a Grant Thornton partner based in Leeds, said the city’s ‘vibrant young population’ was leading the shift, and urged businesses and public bodies to invest further.