North Yorkshire businesses to help shape tourism strategy

Tourism in North Yorkshire is said to be worth £1.5 billion a year

Business owners in North Yorkshire are being asked to help shape a new strategy to promote tourism.

Workshops are being held in Scarborough, Skipton and Ripon to gather views from key organisations and enterprises.

Feedback will be used to develop the county's first destination management plan, according to North Yorkshire Council.

Council leader Carl Les said it would help the sector "grow and flourish".

Crowds at Goathland station in August 2022

Tourism in North Yorkshire is worth £1.5bn a year, accounting for 11% of the county's overall economy, said the authority.

About 41,200 workers are employed in the sector, it added.

Invitations have been sent out to tourism businesses for the free workshops.

Attendees will be asked about their priorities and aspirations for the tourism industry as well as the strengths, opportunities and challenges being faced by North Yorkshire's visitor economy, the council said.

Sessions will be held in Ripon and Skipton on 17 May, and in Scarborough the following day.

Mr Les said: "The opportunity to develop the first county-wide plan to promote tourism is a major milestone for North Yorkshire.

"The views of businesses and organisations involved in tourism will be key to developing the strategy and the future of the industry as a whole.

"We have such a breadth of tourism businesses and attractions which we can be rightly proud of, but we want to ensure that the sector can grow and flourish in the future and help support the region's wider economy."

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The draft destination management plan is expected to be presented to councillors in July.