North Yorkshire’s tourism sector is strengthening its long-term strategy with the creation of a new advisory group, bringing together leaders from across the region’s visitor economy.
Tourism generated over £4 billion for North Yorkshire in 2024, attracting 32.2 million visitors, a 3.8 per cent increase on the previous year. The newly formed advisory group will guide the county’s 10-year plan to build on this growth and ensure the industry develops sustainably alongside local communities.
The group represents a wide cross-section of the tourism landscape, including national bodies such as English Heritage and the National Trust, as well as local attractions, accommodation providers, cultural venues, Business Improvement Districts, and organisations such as Disability Action Yorkshire. The Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks are also involved.
Executive member for open to business, Cllr Mark Crane, whose responsibilities include the visitor economy, said: “To have such a diverse and well-respected group of representatives from across the tourism sector is an indication of just how strong our visitor economy is in North Yorkshire.
“But we want to make sure that we remain at the forefront of the sector, which contributes so much to the local economy.
“The experience across the whole advisory board will be vital to achieving this, helping our visitor economy grow while ensuring it remains sustainable and is of benefit to our local communities and businesses.”
The initiative is part of Visit North Yorkshire’s wider strategy, launched last year under North Yorkshire Council, which introduced a unified countywide brand and a new website featuring more than 1,250 business listings. The platform is projected to reach 1.5 million views in its first year.
Over the past 12 months, the organisation has focused on recruitment, training, and skills programmes, as well as improving accessibility through better signage, interpretation boards, and event support. The new advisory group will play a central role in developing future projects, ensuring North Yorkshire’s visitor economy continues to evolve as a major economic driver for the region.
