Tourism: Opportunities huge for thriving food and drink industry
THE eyes of the world were focussed on Yorkshire during this year’s Grand Départ and this should have provided an opportunity for the region’s thriving food and drink businesses to increase profits and boost confidence, according to an industry expert.
TheBusinessDesk.com has teamed up with law firm Walker Morris and Sheffield Hallam University to publish the Yorkshire Tourism supplement. To read the full supplement, click here.
Richard Naish, partner and head of the food and drink team at law firm Walker Morris, said that the legacy of the Grand Départ is reflected across a wide range of businesses including leisure and food and drink.
“The cyclists who took part in Le Tour and the spectators who watched were in one of the strongholds for UK food and drink businesses. Yorkshire is home to many world class food and drink brands and many leading manufacturers have chosen Yorkshire to set up business, not to mention two of the biggest UK supermarkets calling Yorkshire home,” he said.
“Le Tour offered all food and drink businesses a great platform to showcase their products and their skills whilst the eyes of the world were focussed here. Using this to raise profile and drive awareness of what is on offer should ultimately provide a great opportunity to increase profits and boost confidence.”
Naish added that the opportunity and legacy for Yorkshire and its businesses are clear.
“The last UK stage in the South East in 2007 was estimated to have added £88m to the South East economy and the two stages in Yorkshire this year are expected to exceed that, with £100m being the figure most often being quoted this year,” he said.
Looking forward, Phil Crowther, principal lecturer in events at Sheffield Hallam University said the real opportunities from events are the outcomes.
“What is really the challenge is how we galvanise business and people and communities and then we can create a soft legacy to carry forward,” he said.
“I hope that the outcome after the Tour is that there is an increased communication of the important role of events and making them have real impact. I really hope that happens and the coverage can post an elevation in people’s minds.”
