Vision drawn up to promote North Yorkshire visitor economy

More than £4 billion is brought into North Yorkshire’s economy each year through tourism and the industry supports 38,500 jobs.

The proposed new strategy spanning the next decade is set to become the first countywide approach to support the visitor economy.

Members of North Yorkshire Council’s executive will discuss proposals for the destination management plan at a meeting in mid-October.

The proposed strategy is aimed at capitalising on the diversity of what is on offer in the county, including its famous countryside, stately homes and gardens and history and heritage.

English Heritage site Rievaulx Abbey in Helmsley (Image: Jo Denison - English Heritage)

The draft plan is also due to highlight the county’s arts and culture, health and wellbeing and a growing reputation as a location for film and television.

Building on the popularity of North Yorkshire’s coastal towns and other established destinations including Harrogate are also set to be a focus of the strategy.

Walking through the streets of Ripon in North Yorkshire (Image: Charlotte Gale)

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for open to business, Cllr Mark Crane, whose responsibilities include the visitor economy, said: “The visitor economy is a major driver of North Yorkshire’s local economy.

“This 10-year destination management plan comes at a critical time for North Yorkshire, and one of the most exciting in its recent history.

“There will be a new approach to supporting the growth of the visitor economy – one which recognises the area’s scale and character and reflects the diversity and distinctiveness of our county.”

The draft destination management plan has been drawn up following a wide-ranging consultation involving one-to-one interviews and more than 40 face-to-face and online workshops during 2023 and this year to gather the views of over 500 key stakeholders.

The discussions highlighted the opportunities presented by North Yorkshire’s stunning landscapes for past-times such as cycling and walking and a desire by the industry and also the council to invest and develop the visitor economy.

The consultations also recognised the opportunities presented by market towns with a host of independent businesses and the high-quality produce that is on offer.

The engagement also highlighted the importance of public transport links, the chance to extend the peak tourism season and that there is a need to improve digital connectivity in parts of the county.

There is also a need for a strong and clearly defined approach to marketing which will help dispel some of the myths that North Yorkshire is often perceived as an “old-fashioned” destination partly due to its countryside and deeply rural locations.

Leading tourism organisations have welcomed the development of the draft destination management plan which they claimed will be vital in helping develop the sector in North Yorkshire.

English Heritage has a series of sites in the county, including Scarborough Castle, Whitby Abbey, Richmond Castle and Rievaulx Abbey.

The head of historic properties at English Heritage, Simon Bean, said: “The county is home to some of our most popular and historic locations, which attract visitors from across the world every year.

“We understand just how important tourism is for North Yorkshire’s economy, and we are proud that our sites across the county do help to support the industry.”

Among the other attractions in North Yorkshire which brings in visitors from across the world is the World of James Herriot in Thirsk, which has seen its popularity increase even more in recent years following the broadcast of the new series of All Creatures Great and Small.

The museum, which is dedicated to the novels by Alf Wight about the fictional Yorkshire Dales vet, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

The chairman of the Herriot Country Tourism Group, John Gallery, said: “The popularity of James Herriot has increased in recent years, and this will help us promote our museum in Thirsk which will benefit not just the town but the surrounding area as well.

The World of James Herriot in Thirsk (Image: Google Street View)

“We know the importance of the visitor economy for our local economy and communities, as it supports so many jobs for local people.” A separate survey that was conducted last year with an external company, Emotional Logic, gave an insight into the habits of visitors.

A total of 69 per cent of visitors come to North Yorkshire from within a two-hour drive, and nearly eight out of nine of visitors rated their trip either very good or good – with 90 per cent stating that they would like to return.

The most popular activities among day visitors were walking, visiting cafes and tearooms and sightseeing, while overnight stays saw tourists most likely to go to pubs, eat in restaurants and visit towns.

One of the central themes of the proposed destination management plan is aimed at increasing the value of the visitor economy rather than the actual number of visitors.

Specific trends that have been identified as opportunities for growing the market include environmentally-friendly travel, stays that are off-grid and away from the pressures of modern life and also attracting business travellers to spend leisure time in the county.

The opportunity of promoting North Yorkshire’s links to locations linked to film, television and literature has also been highlighted.

For instance, Fountains Abbey was used as a location for the Netflix series, The Witcher, and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway has featured in the Harry Potter films.

If the draft plan is approved by the executive, it will be reviewed annually.