Peak District Tourism Employment: ~8,800 Jobs in England's First National Park

According to the Peak District National Park Authority, tourism supports approximately 8,800 jobs within the park boundary (555 sq mi / 1,438 km² across Derbyshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, Yorkshire, Greater Manchester).

Sector Breakdown

• Accommodation & Food: ~3,500 (hotels, B&Bs, pubs, cafés, self-catering).
• Visitor Attractions: ~1,800 (caverns, historic houses, museums, adventure parks).
• Retail: ~1,200 (crafts, gear, food/gift, market towns: Bakewell, Buxton, Castleton).
• Transport & Guiding: ~800 (bus/rail, cycle hire, walking guides, climbing instructors).
• Indirect/Induced: ~1,500 (laundry, maintenance, food supply, construction, professional services).

Seasonality & Challenges

• Summer weekends: population doubles (20M+ day visits/year).
• Winter: many businesses reduce hours/staff; 40% of jobs seasonal/part-time.
• Housing crisis: second homes/holiday lets (25%+ stock in some parishes) push wages below rent.

Strategic Response

Authority's Tourism Action Plan focuses: shoulder-season marketing (dark skies, wellness), car-free access (Hope Valley line, bus network), green accreditation, apprenticeship pipelines, and community benefit funds. The goal: better jobs, not just more visitors.