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Visit York Launches New Campaign to Bring in More Group Tourism Business
Story published: Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Visit York, the city’s official tourism organisation, will this week launch a new bid to bring more group tourism business, and hence vital tourism income into the city.
2,500 copies of a brand new ‘York Guide for Groups’ will be mailed out to the country’s top group travel organisers, coach operators and organisations, such as Coach Companions, Travelex, Coombs Travel, Trafalgar Tours, Johnson’s Coaches, the National Trust, Women’s Institute Groups, BT Sports and Social Club, Business Link North West, the Guild of Registered Tourist Guides, and English Heritage, to name just a few.
Visit York’s all new Groups Guide will be unveiled tomorrow (Thursday 26th March) at the Best of Britain and Ireland exhibition (formerly the British Travel Trade Fair) at ExCel, London. The Best of Britain show is the most important domestic tourism event in the year, attended by 3,000 trade visitors and 25,000 group travel buyers and coincides with British Tourism week.
Kate McMullen, Marketing Manager for Visit York said, ‘This new publication is a vital tool for us to promote the city as the number one choice for a group visit. This market is extremely important for York and there are numerous clubs, groups and societies looking for new ideas for their next short break away. Group visits come in all shapes and sizes, just some examples include; police retirement groups, the RAF, mothers groups, all female shopping trips, choir and school groups. We’ve just booked in a group of thirty five line dancers from Shropshire and a group from the Royal Archaeological Institute – the range of enquiries is so diverse’.
The majority of group enquiries come from the North East of England (39%) with 21% of enquiries coming from the North West. Average group size is 21 people, with the largest group visit so far at 110 (a group of Italian students who stayed for three days). Groups of overseas students are also on the up, with enquiries coming in from the Netherlands, Norway, Italy and just yesterday a group of catholic students from Australia.
The new groups guide is packed with great new articles and ideas for groups visiting the city. A key feature for this year’s edition – to help beat the recession - is the inclusion of great value ways for groups to enjoy the city. Highlights include:
• Five ways to make the most of your trip to York...without breaking the bank
• Features on art, culture & history
• Ideas for group visits year round
• A photo competition - 'Send us your Group Snaps'
• Restaurant ideas for groups
• Frequently asked questions for coach operators
Gillian Cruddas, Chief Executive said, ‘York has the perfect mix of attractions, restaurants and superb hotels to accommodate group visits. Not only that, we’ve got fantastic attractions such as the North York Moors Railway right on our doorstep – the range of activities we can offer for groups is hard to beat anywhere. We are confident with targeted marketing, that we can persuade more groups to choose York for their visit this year.’ Ends
For more information, please contact Kay Hyde, PR Manager, Visit York,
Tel: 01904 554451, email: kh@visityork.org or Katie Porter, PR Executive, Visit York, Tel: 01904 554436, email: kp@visityork.org
Notes to Editors:
1. Best of Britain & Ireland is the UK's official exhibition dedicated to showcasing the cream of domestic tourism to domestic and overseas visitors. It introduces two distinct events - a high-profile trade show on the first two days (26-27 March), the successor to the British Travel Trade Fair, entitled
Best of Britain & Ireland Travel Trade Forum; followed by a brand new public event over the weekend,
Best of Britain & Ireland 2009 (28-29 March).
2. As part of British Tourism week Visit York will also be coordinating a visit by eleven Canadian tour operators and six tour operators from the Czech republic, they will end their visit at York stand at the Best of Britain exhibition. Visit York will be using this opportunity to ensure that York is included in their travel programmes for 2010 and beyond.
What is Visit York?
Visit York is the new driving force for the city’s tourism industry and the official tourism body for York and the surrounding area. Visit York aims to create a stronger more integrated approach to tourism, working with businesses, Yorkshire Forward and Welcome to Yorkshire. It was formed on 1st April 2008 and brought together the City Council, the York Hospitality Association and the former York Tourism Bureau. The Chairman is John Yeomans and the Chief Executive is Gillian Cruddas.
Its aim is to market York as a must-see world-class destination to the leisure and business visitor, and ensure investment to develop the quality of tourism in York. It is responsible for leisure and conference marketing, visitor services (running the city’s Visitor Information Centres), training and developing the tourism product. Visit York aims to increase the value of the visitor economy by at least 5% annually.
Tourism in York already makes a huge contribution to the well-being of the city, however, Visit York aims to drive this to a higher level. Here are the latest figures:
• 4.09 million visitors a year (2007/2008)
• £364 million spent in York each year (2007/2008 )
• 10,646 jobs in York created by tourism (2007/2008)
• Staying visitors generated 2 million bednights (2007/2008)
• 15% of visitors are from overseas (around a quarter of these from North America)
• 80% of visitors in 2007-08 were repeat visitors
• Top overseas markets include USA, Germany, Netherlands and Belgium