Harrogate tourism in £19m Tour de France boost

IT HAS been revealed that last year’s Tour de France generated £19m for the Harrogate district.

Harrogate Borough Council reported crowds of 310,000 watching the race from the district’s roadsides, with nearly 60% of them visitors to the area.

The ‘Economic, Social & Cultural Impact on the Harrogate District’ report picked apart the effect of hosting the world’s oldest and most iconic cycle race as well as its legacy.

The report draws on research undertaken from a number of sources including the ‘Three Inspirational Days’ report which was led by Leeds City Council and supported by UK Sport, Welcome to Yorkshire, Transport for London and TdFHUB2014 Ltd and has been compiled using surveys and evaluations carried out before, during and after the race.

The ‘Economic, Social & Cultural Impact on the Harrogate District’ report showed that the direct economic impact of the Tour de France on the Harrogate district was £19.2 million, including £17.6 million spent by visitors who specifically came to the district to watch the race.

In the last year businesses within the district’s tourism sector have seen a 73% rise in visitors from other parts of the UK and 53% from overseas.

Councillor Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council said: “The Tour de France has had a significant positive impact on the Harrogate district. Residents were captured by the romance of the tour, with communities working together to welcome visitors, as well as the riders themselves.
“The event raised our profile considerably on the world stage, huge numbers flocked to the region and it had a significant impact on the economy.”