Access All AreasVisit England figures have shown a 45% uptick in visitor spend around the UK in the last 12 months, in part due to Yorkshire’s Grand Départof the Tour de France last July.
Visitors to Yorkshire are up by nearly a quarter, and overnight visitors are up by 20% in the past year, with many businesses crediting the surge to the Grand Départ. Rental company holidaycottages.co.uk claims it has seen a 120% increase in Yorkshire bookings in July 2015 compared to the same time last year.
“The boom in the area has a lot to thank to Grand Départ for, for showing the world what a stunning place Yorkshire is and how much it has to offer all types of holidaymakers,” said James Morris, managing director at holidaycottages.co.uk.
Other hotels and accommodation have seen an increase in business, including Yorebirdge House, Best Western Ceder Court Hotel, and Carr House Farm. Carr House Farm in particular has reported a 50% rise in international bookings, with guests traveling from France, Sweden, Austria and Germany to visit the county.
“We are absolutely delighted to see that the county and its businesses are reaping the rewards of Yorkshire’s Grand Départ,” said Sir Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, which executed the event for the Tour de France last year.
“We knew that once we showcased Yorkshire to the world, we would inspire potential visitors to come and see this beautiful county for themselves. These fantastic statistics show just that and I have no doubt that Yorkshire businesses will continue to flourish and build on that success for many years to come.”
Visit England’s report comes after a successful inaugural Tour de Yorkshire, and just before the Great Yorkshire Show, which will showcase all the county has to offer, along with several Yorkshire-born celebrities.
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