Newcastle facing a ‘stag and hen tsunami’ in 2024 with one in six groups heading to Tyneside

EXCLUSIVE figures show Newcastle could face a “stag and hen tsunami” next year – with as many as on in SIX events held on Tyneside.

The city is already established as Europe’s biggest stag do destination, while it is currently the second most visited by brides-to-be.

However, the boss of Britain’s leading stag and hen supplier said initial booking data for 2024 shows Newcastle could be swamped next year.

“Newcastle is already incredibly popular, but next year it looks set to reach the next level,” said Matt Mavir, Managing Director of Gateshead-based Last Night of Freedom.

“There’s a massive buzz around the city, the likes of which we haven’t seen around here since the mid-90s, and it seems everyone wants to tap into that.

“That’s undoubtedly a key factor behind what we can only describe as a tsunami of Newcastle bookings that we’ve had for 2024.

“As a destination, it is absolutely crushing it. About 20 per cent of our 2024 bookings to date are in Newcastle and the city could easily have a record year.”

According to Matt, who has helped to organise over 45,000 stag and hen trips, the city is already firmly established as part of the industry’s “holy trinity” of destinations, alongsideLiverpool and Benidorm.

Combined, the big three account for more than half of all the 2024 trips booked to date.

And while Liverpool has long been a firm favourite, bookings to Benidorm have exploded in recent years.

Since 2018, trips to the sun-soaked Spanish resort have rocketed by a whopping 700 per cent – while they are projected to double yet again in 2024, with groups battling the cost-of-living crisis lured in by the Costa Blanca resort’s rock-bottom prices.

However, it is Newcastle that is on track to host the most stags and hens this weekend (May 19-21).

Industry estimates show the North-East city will likely host over 320 groups in the coming days – a number worth almost £2m to the local economy this weekend.

And Matt estimates that stags and hens could bring somewhere between £30-40m to the city’s economy next year.

“That’s a staggering amount of money for any city, which shows just how important the sector is for Newcastle,” added Matt, who founded the firm in 1999.

“The city has done a wonderful job of embracing the sector, and it is now reaping the rewards.”