Why VAT cut for Yorkshire's family visitor attractions matters: Andrew Pawson

At Continuum Attractions, we operate Yorkshire destinations including York’s Chocolate Story, Eden Camp Modern History Museum and the Emmerdale Village Tour. We know first-hand that families are carefully considering how they spend their leisure budgets and that the cost of a day out extends far beyond admission tickets, with transport, food and other expenses quickly adding up - so we’re pleased to pass these savings on - in full - to our guests.

The VAT reduction has the potential to encourage families to visit a second attraction on any given day, or even prompt them to venture out altogether. Crucially, it will help make some of Yorkshire’s fantastic attractions more accessible to families who may otherwise have had to think twice about visiting this summer.

That matters because attractions are not only places of entertainment. We are employers, educators and contributors to local economies. Yorkshire’s tourism sector supports thousands of jobs and attracts visitors from across the UK and beyond. Brand Yorkshire is powerful and helping more families experience everything our county has to offer can only strengthen our visitor economy and support businesses across the region.

Anything that stimulates demand during the peak summer period will provide a welcome boost to businesses still navigating rising operating costs. Several of our attractions are also exploring additional ways to create even greater value for families over the holidays.

However, while the policy itself deserves praise, the way it was communicated leaves room for improvement.

The announcement came with relatively little notice before implementation, meaning operators across the sector had to move quickly to understand the practical implications and ensure the changes could be applied correctly for guests. As is often the case with measures like this, the headline was straightforward but some of the detail required clarification.

Questions around eligibility, pricing and implementation may sound administrative, but they have real implications for ticketing systems, marketing campaigns and customer communications during one of the busiest periods of the year. The tourism industry is more than willing to work with

Government initiatives that benefit visitors, but additional notice and clearer guidance would have helped operators maximise the opportunity from day one.

The positive news is that the sector has responded quickly, as it always does. We are a resilient and adaptable industry, committed to creating memorable experiences for our guests.

As a company, we are constantly listening to visitor feedback and looking for ways to improve the experiences we offer. The comments we receive from families remind us of the important role attractions play in creating quality time together, inspiring curiosity and helping people discover more about the places they visit. Measures that make those experiences more accessible can only be a positive step.

Looking ahead, I hope this marks the beginning of a broader conversation about how Government and the tourism industry can work together to support domestic tourism and make family days out more affordable.

This summer presents an opportunity to showcase some of the very best attractions Yorkshire has to offer. By helping more families experience them, we can support both household budgets and the wider visitor economy. That is an outcome worth celebrating.

Andrew Pawson is CEO of Continuum Attractions