Some of the leading tourism representatives in North Yorkshire are helping shape the future of the county’s multi-billion pound visitor economy.
Tourism is worth more than £4 billion to the local economy and 32.2 million people came to North Yorkshire in 2024, including both day and overnight visitors, which is an increase of 3.8 per cent on 2023.
One of the most diverse advisory groups in the country’s tourism sector has now been formed to help guide a 10-year vision to develop North Yorkshire’s visitor economy.
The group includes representatives from the tourism sector including attractions, accommodation providers, arts and cultural venues and leading national organisations including English Heritage and the National Trust.
The Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks, Disability Action Yorkshire and representatives from the county’s Business Improvement Districts are also involved.
Executive member for open to business, Cllr Mark Crane, whose responsibilities include the visitor economy, said: “To have such a diverse and well-respected group of representatives from across the tourism sector is an indication of just how strong our visitor economy is in North Yorkshire.
“But we want to make sure that we remain at the forefront of the sector, which contributes so much to the local economy.
“The experience across the whole advisory board will be vital to achieving this, helping our visitor economy grow while ensuring it remains sustainable and is of benefit to our local communities and businesses.”
The advisory group will be instrumental in evolving a destination management plan for North Yorkshire that was launched in October last year and represents the first time that there has been an overarching strategy for the county.
The 10-year vision for the county’s visitor economy is being developed by Visit North Yorkshire, the destination management and marketing organisation that is overseen by North Yorkshire Council.
The operations director for the National Trust in Yorkshire, Justin Scully, is the chair of the new advisory group, which met for the first time yesterday (Thursday, November 6) at Newby Hall, near Ripon.
He said: “I’m delighted to chair the Visit North Yorkshire advisory group as tourism is a vital part of our county’s economy, particularly for our rural communities. The group can provide a strong voice in developing future policy to support businesses to maintain, grow and develop.
“The National Trust cares for many of North Yorkshire’s most treasured places and welcomes the creation of this important group.”
Tourism supports more than 38,000 full-time jobs in the county, highlighting the importance that the sector has for North Yorkshire’s economy.
The joint chief executive of the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, Caroline Routh, said: “We’re thrilled to be one of the representatives of the cultural sector on the Visit North Yorkshire Advisory Group – and to be in such great company.
“Culture is one of the key things that encourage people to choose a holiday destination, whether that’s theatre, museums and galleries, festivals or one of so many other possibilities. Great cultural venues and events bring a destination to life as well as enhancing it as a place to live. We’re proud to be part of Scarborough’s fabulous cultural offering.”
In the first year since its launch, Visit North Yorkshire has evolved its new countywide brand including the launch of a new website, which includes more than 1,250 business listings and is projected to receive 1.5 million views in its first 12 months.
Work has focused on developing projects that support the sector with recruitment, training and skills development.
There has also been a focus on telling the story of North Yorkshire’s visitor economy with improved accessibility linked to signage and interpretation boards across the county’s town centres as well as support for events which are key drivers for tourism.
The advisory group will be key to helping to shape and drive forward projects to ensure the visitor economy is sustainable and can thrive alongside communities living in North Yorkshire.
The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority is among the members of the new tourism advisory group.
The authority’s deputy chair and member champion for recreation management, Lizzie Bushby, said: “Our focus is to work with the tourism businesses and help them make the most of what is so special about the National Park. This includes developing festivals and activities to encourage visitors to explore the area and stay longer.
“Our annual cheese festival allows businesses to showcase local produce, and in February, outside of the traditional visitor season, we host our Dark Skies festival. This gives visitors a chance to experience our special qualities and helps to complement the work of Visit North Yorkshire as well as Cumbria Tourism.”
The operations director at Wenningdale Escapes, John Marshall, is also a member of the advisory group. His business in High Bentham offers stays in luxury glamping pods and lodges and the estate also has an 18-hole golf course.
John said: “Working with teams like Visit North Yorkshire is absolutely vital for destinations such as High Bentham. We know how much our area has to offer and ensuring that this message reaches far and wide is crucial, not only for visitors but also for our local businesses.
“Our businesses span glamping, holiday cottages, golf, hospitality, and caravanning, so collaborating with Visit North Yorkshire across all of these sectors has been incredibly valuable. For example, the Find Your Escape campaign gave us nationwide visibility - including outdoor advertising across the country, an opportunity we could never have achieved on our own.
“From a local perspective, it’s also fantastic to see how different destinations can come together to showcase the very best that Yorkshire has to offer.”
The membership of the advisory group will evolve and continue to be reviewed to reflect the needs of North Yorkshire’s tourism industry.