Coach tours to Yorkshire coast are heralded as major boost to tourism industry

National Holidays’ first customers arriving in Scarborough are greeted by the company’s chief executive officer, Andy Freeth, and the Shadow Minister for Tourism and Heritage, Alex Sobel, following the start of group coach tours. Picture are (left to right) are James Mason, the chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, Andy Freeth, the chief executive officer of National Holidays, Maureen Earnshaw and Danny Henry from Huddersfield, and Alex Sobel, the Shadow Minister for Tourism and Heritage. (Picture: Gerard Binks)

A five-day trip to Scarborough has been organised for holidaymakers by the National Holidays travel company as the lockdown restrictions eased this week.

Tourists are able to stay in hotels and bed and breakfasts after the latest stage in the Government’s road map out of the lockdown was introduced on Monday.

Mr Sobel, who is the Labour MP for Leeds North West, joined Welcome to Yorkshire’s chief executive, James Mason, and National Holidays’ chief executive, Andy Freeth, in the North Yorkshire resort to welcome the holidaymakers on the first coach trip.

He said: “Group coach tours are an important part of the UK’s tourism industry which plays a huge role in driving revenue into local economies and boosting employment.

“It was great to meet some of the National Holidays’ customers and chat to them about what they plan to do and see whilst they are on holiday in Scarborough.

“It is a very important moment, as the domestic tourism industry is able to open up further and we are delighted that group coach tours are now back up and running.”

As well as staying in Scarborough, the holidaymakers on the coach tour will also have excursions to Goathland on the North York Moors and Whitby as well as Beverley market and York.

Due to unprecedented demand for domestic breaks, staff at National Holidays are adding more tours to the company’s programme to cope with the number of bookings throughout the summer months.

Mr Freeth, added: “The majority of our tours across the country in the coming weeks are full, but we are adding extra holidays all the time. We are delighted to be back doing what we do best – showcasing the incredible places to explore here in the UK.”

Tourism in Yorkshire is seen as a key foundation for the economic recovery in the wake of coronavirus, as the sector is worth £9bn each year and employs 225,000 workers in the region.