10 November 2008

Yorkshire gains Ã&#pound;30m tourism boost

A Ã&#pound;30 million investment is being seen as a trigger to transform Yorkshire and Humberââ¬â¢s tourism economy into one of the most powerful sectors in the region. 

The funding from regional development agency Yorkshire Forward will be used as a catalyst to attract new public and private sector funds.

It will also help better co-ordinate existing investment in tourism, which is expected to result in a Ã&#pound;300 million increase in regional visitor spend per year, according to the Yorkshire Tourist Board.

One of the main priorities is to update the regionââ¬â¢s image to attract new visitors. 

The Yorkshire Tourist Board aims to achieve this by showcasing examples of the regionââ¬â¢s transformed towns and cities, such as Sheffield, which has benefited from significant public and private investment in recent years. 

Similarly, traditional tourism destinations such as Scarborough have a new face to sell to the world, having just been announced as the most enterprising in Britain.

The investment is the most significant ever in the regionââ¬â¢s tourism industry, with an increased investment from Yorkshire and Humberââ¬â¢s Regional Development Agency of 59% a year over the next three years. 

Tourism already employs 243,500 people in Yorkshire and Humber and contributes Ã&#pound;6.1 billion to the economy.

Yorkshire Tourist Board chief executive Gary Verity said: ââ¬ÅâœThe visitor economy in Yorkshire and Humber involves almost everyone. 

ââ¬ÅâœAs well as tourism businesses and the local authorities who help make the region the great place it is to visit, everyone who lives here has a part to play in promoting what we have and encouraging visitors to spend their money here. 

ââ¬ÅâœBut we need strong leadership and clear messages that everyone understands and promotes, and it is our job to provide that leadership and focus for the industry.

ââ¬ÅâœOn the back of Yorkshire Forwardââ¬â¢s investment, Yorkshire Tourist Board and our regional tourism partners are committed to taking tourism to the next level which is an extremely exciting proposition. 

ââ¬ÅâœWe will capitalise upon our strengths and build upon our rich heritage but reinvigorate our image to promote our diverse and contemporary tourism offering.

ââ¬ÅâœOur energy and drive in marketing and promoting the region will push the boundaries of tradition to the limit and catapult Yorkshire and Humber centre stage to a global market.ââ¬~

Terry Hodgkinson, chair of Yorkshire Forward, said: ââ¬ÅâœTourism is a significant driver in Yorkshire and Humberââ¬â¢s economy and represents one of the largest sectors in the region which is why we are making this investment to grow this further.

ââ¬ÅâœYorkshire Forwardââ¬â¢s increased investment is testimony to the significance and growing importance of the tourism sector in the regional economy.ââ¬~

by Phil Davies 

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