Country retreats showcased to leading hoteliers from Europe

North Yorkshire has been selected to host the first showcase of luxury places to stay in the UK when senior staff from hotels spanning 20 European countries travel to the region for a two-day visit starting this weekend.

The delegation will include representatives from Portugal, Italy and Switzerland as well as Germany, France and Norway who will tour The Boar’s Head in Ripley, The Yorke Arms in Ramsgill in Nidderdale and The Blue Lion in East Witton.

The visit has been organised by The Great Inns of Britain, which represents 22 independently-owned businesses including five in the Yorkshire region, to foster +relationships with European counterparts.

A spokesman for The Great Inns of Britain said: “There has been an awful lot of talk about the advent of the staycation with Britons deciding to holiday within these shores, but this is not to say markets further afield should be neglected.

“This visit is about showing what Britain and more specifically Yorkshire has to offer. We want to build on the relationships we already have with hotels in Europe as this is such an important area to increase business. Obviously 2012 is a wonderful opportunity to showcase what Britain has to offer with the Olympics being held in London, but this is about a long term vision to attract more visitors from Europe.”

Tourism in Yorkshire is worth £7bn annually, and the industry employs almost 250,000 workers, and there are clear indications that the European market is helping to increasingly supplement the region’s overall industry.

Official figures from the region’s tourism body, Welcome to Yorkshire, have revealed that there were 523,000 European visitors who travelled to Yorkshire in 2010 and spent a total of £3,232,000. The projected statistics for 2011 have estimated that there were 588,000 European visitors to Yorkshire who spent £4,209,000.

The tour of Yorkshire will begin on Sunday when the representatives from the Historic Hotels of Europe will be the guests of Sir Thomas and Lady Ingilby at their inn, The Boar’s Head. They will then head to an evening reception at Ripley Castle, which has been home to Sir Thomas’ family for more than 700 years.

The following day, the hoteliers will undertake a tour of North Yorkshire which will take in the World Heritage site of Fountain’s Abbey, Theakston’s Brewery in Masham and afternoon tea at The Blue Lion Inn in the heart of Wensleydale. The guests will then head to the Yorke Arms, where they will be served a dinner created by chef and owner Frances Atkins - a long-standing holder of a Michelin star and one of the UK’s leading female chefs. Throughout the event, the menus will showcase top quality, seasonal Yorkshire produce.

Sir Thomas, who is the chairman of The Great Inns of Britain and the owner of The Boar’s Head, said: “As an organisation, the Historic Hotels of Europe brings together 21 associations representing more than 700 unique hotels from 23 European countries.

“Whilst the properties range from châteaux, palaces, manors, and monasteries to inns, townhouses, villas and family-owned residences, each is a leading example of the history, architecture and traditions of their home countries. The Great Inns of Britain is proud to be a member of HHE and we’re delighted to have the opportunity to host our fellow hoteliers at some of the Great Inns of Britain.”

Meanwhile, plans to create a new tourism organisation to promote the Harrogate district have taken a step forward. Welcome to Harrogate Limited has announced Peter McCormick, a senior partner of the law firm McCormicks Solicitors in the spa town, is to become its first chairman.

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