Jobs hope after £1m boost for
region’s tourism

A £500,000 investment has been secured by Marketing Leeds from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund, as part of the Growing Tourism Locally programme – a three-year scheme coordinated by national tourist board VisitEngland – which is expected to create more than 300 new jobs in the city. It follows the £666,666 secured by Visit York last week as part of the same national programme which will see £19.8m invested in promoting the UK.

However, it is understood the decision to award the funding on a destination by destination basis – rather than to the regional destination management organisations like Welcome to Yorkshire – has caused tensions in some areas which lost out or were ineligible to bid.

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said; “We’re delighted that funding is being made available for tourism which is now such an important part of our economy and we look forward to working with Marketing Leeds to grow the tourism economy in Leeds even further.

“However we do have doubts about this scatter-gun approach to funding and many parts of the country are wondering why they have not received any funding. We do feel it is a missed opportunity not to give the funding to Yorkshire as a whole to build on the success of brand Yorkshire.”

In Leeds, the tourism and the hospitality industry supports more than 45,000 jobs and contributes nearly £1.13bn to the city’s economy every year.

Lurene Joseph, chief executive of Marketing Leeds, said: “The visitor economy makes a huge contribution to the prosperity of Leeds and there is real potential for further growth. The funding is fantastic news both for Leeds and for the tourism businesses that help make our city the success it is.”

VisitEngland will be working directly with Marketing Leeds, hotels, travel companies and visitor attractions in the city and the wider city region to create marketing campaigns around specific areas and themes, including Christmas, food, music and culture.

Gordon Jackson, general manager of Thorpe Park Hotel and Spa and chair of the Leeds Hotels and Venues Association, said: “The city has a great offer for business tourism and is the perfect destination for academic, professional and business conferences. The further we can spread this message, the better, and the funding will give much greater reach and impact to our promotion of the city.”

The investment is funded through the Government’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF) and contributions from VisitEngland and the private sector. In York, the funding will be boosted by additional private sector support, including investment by East Coast Rail and support from the City of York Council, meaning the city will benefit from a new £1m campaign over three years.

It aims to boost the local economy by five per cent, an estimated £22m over three years, creating 391 new jobs. Visit York will receive £160,000 in the first year, which will fund a UK-wide campaign targeting visitors from London, the South-East, Midlands and Scotland. Its first wave aims to persuade visitors to choose York for a winter break between November and March, so boosting off-peak revenue.

A spokesman for VisitEngland said: “The Regional Growth Fund (RGF) is not a tourism fund but was created to stimulate the economy in areas of need and to create jobs at the local level. In developing a successful bid for funding from it VisitEngland has worked with as local a level as possible, as dictated by the aims of the RGF and reflected in both the title and ambition of this particular programme, Growing Tourism Locally.

“VisitEngland is therefore working with Visit York and Marketing Leeds, both highly respected agencies with a strong tourism remit, to deliver maximum outputs.

“Promotion of the whole of Yorkshire for this particular destination programme of activity would not provide the targeted impact required by the funding conditions.”

VisitEngland’s chief executive James Berresford, said: “This is a great time to launch and we hope that by riding on the crest of a wave of a successful London 2012 Olympic Games we will harness the swell of national pride and inspire Brits to take the home advantage and holiday at home this year and beyond.”

Comment: Page 12.