East Riding tourism generates £497m for the area

A TOURISM strategy to encourage more visitors to the East Riding has been prepared.

Tourism in the East Riding contributed £497m to the economy in 2013 and provided employment for some 11,000 people.

Visit Hull and & Yorkshire (VHEY) – which is a partnership between East Riding of Yorkshire Council and Hull City Council and local private sector visitor businesses – has prepared a three-year tourism strategy to encourage even more tourists to visit the region and spend money in the local economy.

The value of tourism to the Hull and East Riding in 2013 was £757m, of which £497m was in the East Riding, an 8.3% rise on the figure for 2012.

A report to East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Cabinet says Beverley, Hull, the Yorkshire Wolds and the Yorkshire coast are all key areas to be marketed to new and existing visitors, and the award of City of Culture to Hull in 2017 is an opportunity not only to attract visitors into the city, but also the surrounding area.

Councillor Jane Evison, the council’s portfolio holder for the economy, investment and inequalities, said the East Riding and Hull are working together through VHEY, and the region is providing a ‘quality product’ for visitors.

“In the East Riding we have increased the value of tourism to the local economy by more than eight per cent, so we are doing exceptionally well. We set out to provide a quality product for visitors and I think the figures support that,” she said.

“With Hull as the City of Culture and the attention from the Dad’s Army filming I think this area can expect to see a lot more tourists. It is a strongly growing business, a very important strategy and a good one.”

The Cabinet meeting endorsed the tourism strategy 2015 to 2018 for approval to full council.