Yorkshire goes Dutch
A MAJOR campaign to attract Dutch visitors to the region this winter has been launched by Yorkshire Tourist Board (YTB).
The 250,000 euro campaign (£153,000) will incorporate press and public relations, online advertising, electronic newsletters and competitions.
The campaign will drive consumers across the Netherlands to a website www.ontdekyorkshire.nl which supports a Dutch version of the main
YTB Yorkshire.com website and aims to attract 65,000 unique visitors and ultimately generate more than of £1.5m in visitor spending in the Yorkshire region.
The theme of the marketing push will include cultural attractions, city breaks, Christmas shopping in cities such as York, whilst also highlighting the rural charms of the whole region.
The campaign is being jointly funded by Yorkshire Tourist Board, Enjoy England and low-cost airline Jet2.com which flies daily from Leeds Bradford to Amsterdam, plus other partners including ferry company P&O as well as the cities of York and Hull.
Joanna Royle, marketing director at Yorkshire Tourist Board said: “The Dutch market offers great potential for inbound visitors into the region, not least because of its close proximity and existing transport connections.
“The investment we are making will reap rewards not just in raising the profile of Yorkshire, but actually bringing in tourists to the region who will put money back into the local economy.
“We have successfully targeted European countries in the past, so we know the likely returns on investment and this campaign alone is expected to net the region in excess of £1.5m.
“The campaign in the Netherlands will communicate the diversity of our cities both in terms of their heritage, but also their hip, contemporary style.
“It will include the obvious tourist attractions, but also the hidden gems, the wonderful landscape and countryside we're lucky enough to have on our doorstep, not to mention the warmth of our famous hospitality.”
