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07
Nov
New group aims to guide North Yorkshire tourism
Some of the leading representatives of the Harrogate district’s visitor economy have joined an initiative to shape North Yorkshire’s tourism industry over the next 10 years.
Visit North Yorkshire has set up a new tourism advisory group, whose members are drawn from across the region and include representatives from the hospitality industry, attractions, arts and cultural venues, and national organisations such as English Heritage and the National Trust.
The Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks, Disability Action Yorkshire and the county’s business improvement districts (BIDs) are also involved.
North Yorkshire Council’s 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.
The advisory group will continue the development of the destination management plan for North Yorkshire that was launched in October last year, and represents the first time 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.
Tourism is worth more than £4 billion to the local economy and supports more than 38,000 full-time jobs in the county.
Fountains Abbey is owned and run by the National Trust.
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.
One of the representatives from our area was Simon Midgley, who owns Starling in Harrogate and is chair of Harrogate BID. He told the Stray Ferret:
Tony Watson [head of tourism at North Yorkshire Council] and his team at Visit North Yorkshire see consultation and partnership with local tourism and hospitality businesses as an essential part of developing the destination management plan.
It was great to see Harrogate well represented, with both Sharon Canavar, chief executive of Harrogate International Festivals, and Martin Mann, chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, involved too.
Martin Mann added that the initiative was "very beneficial". He said:
It was great to see what plans Visit North Yorkshire has for Harrogate and the wider county, and Harrogate Chamber are very grateful to Tony [Watson] and the team for including us within the group, to be able to bring the voice and opinions of our members and the wider business community in the county to these forums.
In the first year since its launch, Visit North Yorkshire has developed 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.
Members of the Visit North Yorkshire’s tourism advisory group include:
- Business Improvement Districts, including Harrogate's
- Classic Lodges Hotels
- Disability Action Yorkshire
- English Heritage
- Grantley Hall, Ripon
- Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce
- Harrogate International Festivals
- Howardian Hills National Landscape
- Layton Hill Hotels, Ripon and York
- McDonalds
- Mr B Hospitality, York
- National Trust
- Newby Hall, Ripon
- Nidderdale National Landscape
- Nidderdale Plus
- North York Moors National Park Authority
- Sea Life Scarborough Aquarium
- Starling Independent Bar, Cafe and Kitchen, Harrogate
- Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
- The Tourism Network
- Transdev
- Wenningdales Escapes, Bentham
- West Acre Lodge, Thirsk
- World of James Herriot, Thirsk
- York St John University
- Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.
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