Successfulyear fortourism butmore to do

TOURISM bosses in York are to celebrate the end of one of the city’s most successful years by unveiling plans to further grow the visitor economy on the back of millions of pounds of new investment in the sector.

More than 150 businesses are expected to attend Visit York annual AGM and Conference on Thursday, October 14, at the Park Inn York.

As well as a presentation of key achievements over the last year, Visit York’s chief executive, Gillian Cruddas, will also reveal expansion plans for the holiday industry following multi-million pound investments in the tourism sector.

Successes include the Yorkshire Museum 2m redevelopment, the Jorvik 1m redevelopment, the opening of the city’s first five-star hotel – the Cedar Court Grand, and York Minster’s 9.7m Heritage Lottery award.

The Yorkshire Pass was launched in April, encouraging visitors to stay in York and Yorkshire as long as possible. May heralded the opening of York’s new Visitor Information Centre – where visitor numbers are up by 75 per cent on the previous year.

York is still revelling in the success of its recent annual Festival of Food and Drink and all ears are waiting for the results of the bid for World Heritage Status.

Mrs Cruddas said: “We’ve had a very successful year on the tourism front with new investment, new businesses opening up and strong visitor numbers.

“We now need to capitalise on the continuation of the ‘staycation’, offering new reasons to visit and good value for money to our seven million annual visitors.”

Guest speakers include Welcome to Yorkshire chief Gary Verity; Police Commander Supt Lisa Winward; Simon Rhatigan, who owns the Feversham Arms Hotel and Verbana Spa, and former Vice President of Disneyland Paris Christian Perdrier.

Mr Verity said: “By working more closely than ever with businesses in the county Yorkshire’s tourism economy is going from strength to strength but we are not resting on our laurels and we have ambitious plans to do even better in 2011.”