Blackpool is a popular seaside town in the North-West of England. It has a population of over 142,000 people and attracts a great many visitors each year. Blackpool tower, Blackpool illuminations and Blackpool's Pleasure beach are all major attractions within the town.
Tourism lies firmly at the centre of Blackpool's economy and is the main source of employment within the town. Retail is also another strong sector which provides many employment opportunities in Blackpool either in the town centre or the surrounding retail parks.
Many popular events take place within Blackpool throughout the year, including the Blackpool Illumination shows which take place from late August until early November. There are a series of light shows and collages that line the beaches and visitors are attracted in their thousands to witness these shows. Blackpool is also well known for its links with ballroom dance and the annual Blackpool Dance festival is a world famous ballroom dance competition which takes place every year.
There are plenty of attractions and things to do within Blackpool. The Winter Gardens provides Blackpool with a dedicated entertainment and conference venue within the centre of town. The Pleasure beach is a key source of entertainment within Blackpool and used to be home to the world's fastest and tallest complete circuit roller-coaster, the Pepsi Max Big One. Although its title has since been beaten by other roller-coasters, it still remains a very popular tourist attraction for thrill-seekers.
Blackpool has its own International Airport which provides services to other parts of the UK and Europe. It is one of the oldest airports in the UK, with flying meetings taking place as early as 1909. Blackpool shares excellent transport links by road via the M55 and also has a large number of bus and railway services to surrounding areas. Blackpool is also home to the only surviving first-generation tramway in the UK. The tramway runs along 11 miles of track and is used by over 6 million passengers a year.