New destination management organisation for town

A Destination Management Organisation (DMO) for the Harrogate district has been launched.

Destination Harrogate will showcase Boroughbridge, Harrogate, Knaresborough, Masham, Nidderdale AONB, Pateley Bridge and the city of Ripon to attract visitors, events and investment.

It work will be delivered through:

• Visit Harrogate is the existing consumer-facing tourism brand encouraging visitors to stay longer and spend more.
• The newly-launched events bureau Events Harrogate will position the Harrogate district as a first choice destination to host a conference, exhibition, meeting or event.
• Invest Harrogate will continue to drive inward investment into the area and promote the district as an attractive place for business growth.
• Culture Harrogate will operate the Mercer Art Gallery, the Royal Pump Room Museum, Knaresborough Castle & Museum, Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough Tourist Information Centres, and care for the 30,000 objects that make up Harrogate’s collection.

The new DMO is headed up by Gemma Rio, who said: “The success of any new organisation relies on a solid strategy and a successful destination requires a shared vision. This is why we have developed the 2022-2025 Destination Management Plan (DMP) for the Harrogate district, working closely with a panel of stakeholders from across the area’s visitor economy.

“We have developed the DMP with the views, contributions, interviews and survey results from a wide range of people and businesses that already have a direct input into the success of our visitor economy. They have given their time, ideas and suggestions so that the DMP is a meaningful document, with the shared vision to continue to develop a successful and growing visitor economy.

“Tourism plays an important part in a thriving economy with the visitor economy making up 14.3 per cent of the total economy of the Harrogate district worth more than £600million a year, supporting almost 8,000 jobs.

“The DMP outlines our plan to increase leisure and business visitors, and support inward investment. A destination must be distinctive, attractive and well managed and we have developed this plan to set out the vision, priorities and actions we, as a destination, need to put in place to make Harrogate district a first-choice destination.”

Stuart Gill, commercial director of Newby Hall and destination management plan advisory panel member, said: “This Destination Management Plan is the result of collaboration and the shared vision of some key players that make up our district’s vibrant visitor economy.

“The district is made up of many parts, each with their own strengths and identity. The plan recognises that working together with colleagues at Destination Harrogate and with members of the DMP advisory panel will ensure the district reaches its true potential as a driver of sustainable economic growth.”

The news of the DMO follows the launch of a new campaign by the Harrogate BID designed to support the town centre’s retailers and hospitality businesses via a range of special offers.