Yorkshire Dales National Park sees significant shift in visitor types in 2020 - with 350 per cent more under 25s

The Yorkshire Dales witnessed a dramatically different demographic of first-time visitors during last year when coronavirus restrictions were relaxed.

Younger visitors, including ethnic minorities, have taken the opportunity to explore previously undiscovered countryside gems as the nation’s love affair with nature has been rekindled.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s chief executive, David Butterworth, claimed that it was the biggest opportunity in decades to attract a far wider audience to enjoy the area’s famous landscapes.

Mr Butterworth told The Yorkshire Post: “There has been an effort stretching back 20 years to try and broaden the visitor base of the National Park, and what has happened in the past year has been unprecedented.

“The challenge for 2021 is to capitalise on this trend, and capture the hearts and minds of the people who have experienced the Dales for the first time to make sure they keep coming back.”

The National Park usually attracts in the region of five million visitors each year, with about 80 per cent on day trips.

Initial predictions estimate a similar number of visitors travelled to the Yorkshire Dales throughout 2020, although there has been a marked shift in different age groups and ethnicities.

Figures from the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority show that people aged between 16 and 24 made up just two per cent of visitors in 2017, while they equated to nine per cent last year - an increase of 350 per cent.

Visitors in the older age brackets fell significantly last year, as the elderly adhered to the Government’s guidelines to avoid public places and social contact to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

A total of 27 per cent of visitors to the Yorkshire Dales in 2017 were aged between 55 to 64, although this figure fell to 21 per cent last year.

Meanwhile, last year saw nine per cent of visitors to the Dales in the 60-plus age bracket, a major decline from the figure of 29 per cent in 2017.

There was a small yet significant increase in the number of Asian visitors to the Yorkshire Dales - up from one per cent in 2017 to five per cent last year.

It is hoped that the appeal of the Yorkshire Dales will also be heightened among the younger generation as the National Park authority looks to expand its programme of school visits.

There would normally be about 1,500 school pupils visiting the National Park each year, and this figure is planned to increase annually to 2,500 students once the coronavirus restrictions are lifted.

Officials at the National Park have urged people to ensure they adhere to the current lockdown restrictions, and do not travel to the Yorkshire Dales for day trips.

But Mr Butterworth said he hoped the Dales could be in line for a bumper summer tourism season once restrictions are eased. Tourism in the National Park is worth in excess of £700m each year, although the sector has endured a significant drop in income during the pandemic.