The head of Harrogate’s tourism body says it will continue to use social media influencers and new marketing campaigns after facing questions over the spending of almost £6,000 of taxpayers' money.

Gemma Rio, head of Destination Harrogate, was quizzed by members of Harrogate Borough Council’s overview and scrutiny commission last night.

It came after £5,220 was spent on a giant snow globe at London’s King’s Cross station and £700 was paid to a travel blogger to promote Harrogate at Christmas, as first reported by The Stray Ferret.

Ms Rio said the marketing methods were a “toe in the water” as part of a new tourism strategy and that similar campaigns would run again.

She said:

Council leader Richard Cooper also defended the snow globe, which promoted train services to Harrogate. He said one was also used in Leeds and “a number of other locations across the district”.

Read more:

• 
  

  ‘Waste of money!’: Harrogate council criticised for spending £700 on social media influencer

  
  


• 
  

  Harrogate council paid social media influencer £700 to promote town

  
  


• Harrogate council spent £5,000 on King’s Cross snow globe

Bristol-based blogger Heather Cowper, who runs Heather on Her Travels, was the social media influencer paid £700.

After visiting Harrogate, she published an article listing “11 fun things to do” in the district and there have since been questions over how many people actually saw the content online.

Defending the £700 spends, Ms Rio said: 

Ms Rio added: