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In the nine months from January 2014 to November 2014 – a time which saw the count hosting the Tour de France Grand Depart – Yorkshire experienced new records for holiday visits and spend.
This is according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) International Passenger survey, which found overseas visits to Yorkshire went up by 12% to 1.08 million, with these tourists spending a total of £465m.
Holiday visits across the first nine months saw a significant jump of 32% year-on-year, while the amount spent by tourists increased by 70%.
In Quarter three (Q3) 2014 there were 472,000 overseas visits to Yorkshire – a new Q3 record and up by 19% compared to the same period in 2013. The region also saw a new Q3 record tourism spend – a total of £230m was spent, up 1% on the same time in 2013.
Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, who led the winning bid to bring the Tour de France to the county, said: “Yorkshire’s global profile has never been higher – and this is further evidence of the huge beneficial impact of bringing the world’s largest annual sporting event to the county.
“We know when visitors from around the world come to Yorkshire to see it for themselves they fall in love with the county, which in turn helps drive up repeat visits. The new Tour de Yorkshire international cycle race starting this May will help us capitalise on the foundations already laid.”
