York attractions see 'record' rise in visitor numbers

Visit York monitors visitor numbers at nine of the city's major attractions

Major attractions in York have seen an 18% increase in visitor numbers in the first ten months of the year.

Tourism Agency Visit York said the increase was the highest since it began recording the figures in 2007.

It monitors visitor numbers at nine major attractions including the Minster and National Railway Museum.

Between January and October 2012, 2.1 million people visited the attractions, in the same period this year the figure rose to 2.5 million.

Visit York said major events such as , which marked the 75th anniversary of the locomotive breaking a world speed record, and an exhibition on Richard III, had played a role in attracting more visitors.

Other attractions where visitor numbers were recorded include the Jorvik Viking Centre, York Castle Museum, YorkBoat, York's Chocolate Story, Clifford's Tower, the Yorkshire Museum and York Dungeon.

The agency believes York attracts a total of 7.1 million visitors a year, who spend almost £450m in the city.