£30m boost for region’s tourism industry

A MASSIVE funding boost for Yorkshire’s tourism industry has been announced today which will give it the resources to compete against national tourism agencies.

Regional development agency Yorkshire Forward is to increase its funding to promote tourism by 60%, investing £30m over the next three years as part of a plan to increase spending by visitors to Yorkshire by £300m a a year.

The investment will be used as a catalyst to attract new public and private sector funds to the region and gives it the resources to promote itself on an international stage.

The investment from Yorkshire Forward comes at a time when the Government is reducing its funding for national tourism agency VisitBritain from £47.6m this year to £40.6m in 2010.

The funding for Yorkshire Tourist Board will allow its new chief executive Gary Verity and his team to launch an ambitious plan to promote Yorkshire as the number one visitor destination in the UK and a place for foreign visitors to base themselves when not just visiting the UK, but Europe too.

Yorkshire’s tourism industry employs 243,500 people and contributes £6.1bn to the economy.

Mr Verity, the former group managing director of Prontaprint and Kall Kwik and Johnsons Cleaners, said: “The visitor economy in Yorkshire and Humber involves almost everyone.  As 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.

“But 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.

“On the back of Yorkshire Forward’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.  We will capitalise upon our strengths and build upon our rich heritage but reinvigorate our image to promote our diverse and contemporary tourism offering.

“Our 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,” he added.

Terry Hodgkinson, chair of Yorkshire Forward said: “Tourism is a significant driver in Yorkshire and Humber’s economy and represents one of the largest sectors in the region which is why we are making this investment to grow this further.

“Yorkshire Forward’s increased investment is testimony to the significance and growing importance of the tourism sector in the regional economy.”

What do you think of this move? How would you like to see the money invested in the region’s tourism industry? How should Yorkshire promote itself abroad?
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