Video: Minister insists Yorkshire is an Olympic winner

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt said Yorkshire also stood to benefit from a Games-inspired tourism boom, with the region featuring in major international and national marketing campaigns to promote the event.

Last year the Yorkshire Post revealed the region’s businesses had failed to secure even three per cent of the major contracts and fewer than half a per cent of the supply chain work estimated to be available.

However Mr Hunt, who yesterday visited York Racecourse and Headingley Carnegie Stadium in Leeds, said his visit was a “call to arms” for business leaders to make the most of an opportunity which so far had seen £74m worth of Olympic Park contracts won by Yorkshire businesses.

“Yorkshire has some of the most beautiful countryside in the country, there is so much to see here, we’re saying to people don’t just read about London, read about places like Yorkshire and come and see for yourself,” he said.

“This region has done incredibly well – the turf for the Olympic stadium is from Scunthorpe, the flooring is from Leeds and the wood for the iconic Velodrome is from Sheffield.

“Yorkshire companies have contributed to every single one of the facilities at the Olympic park.”

Mr Hunt addressed more than 200 hoteliers, businesses and tourism bodies at York Racecourse. The event was hosted by Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire and Chair of Yorkshire Gold, and other speakers included Sir Charles Allen CBE, Chair of London 2012 Nations and Regions Group, and Bill Morris, Director of Ceremonies, Education and Live Sites at London 2012.

Mr Hunt added: “There’s so much going on in Yorkshire – it’s a region with a rich culture, strong sporting traditions and of course, absolutely stunning countryside. With the Olympic Torch Relay spending six days in the region, the 2012 Games offer huge opportunities to businesses here and I would urge everyone to get on board and make the most of them.”

He was later joined for a School Games summit at Headingley Carnegie Stadium by inline skating champion Jenna Downing, and called on local schools to sign up for the new Sainsbury’s School Games competition which will have its first final in the Olympic Park in May.

The School Games competition is part of the Government’s new youth sport strategy, unveiled last week. Mr Hunt also met young ambassadors from Leeds School Sports Partnership training with Leeds Rhino players Ben Jones-Bishop and Carl Ablett and Leeds Carnegie players Lachlan Mackay and Phil Swainston.

Mr Verity said: “We know that during London 2012 we have a great opportunity to bring visitors from across the world to sample Yorkshire and we are delighted to welcome Jeremy Hunt to the region to talk about the benefits of the Olympic Games and their legacy.

“Starting with the Torch Relay in June, Yorkshire is looking forward to celebrating London 2012 this summer and we will be working hard to attract visitors from all over the world to enjoy that with us.”

The six-day Torch Relay in the region is longer than any other in England outside of London, and will see iconic images beamed around the world of a runner carrying the torch through cities and famous landmarks such as Fountains Abbey, near Ripon, Scarborough seafront and the Humber Bridge.

It will travel through all 22 local authority areas, with organisers promising 95 per cent of the population will be within 10 miles of the relay route, which will take in 78 towns and villages.

There are festivals planned for the overnight stops in Hull, York, Leeds, Sheffield and Cleethorpes while councils along the other stages of the route are organising Olympics-themed community events. The relay will be made up of 140 vehicles with more than 600 people running with the torch.