Tourism businesses in North Yorkshire are being given the chance to have their say on a strategy aiming to attract thousands more visitors to the county.

North Yorkshire Council is coordinating a new strategy aimed at boosting the county’s £1.5 billion visitor economy and supporting the tens of thousands of workers who are employed in the sector.  

A series of events will be held this month (August) to gather information and views from key organisations and enterprises involved in the visitor economy to help shape a draft document for the destination management plan.

North Yorkshire Council’s leader, Cllr Carl Les, said: “The visitor economy is so important to North Yorkshire, and we are proud to give everyone who comes to the county the warmest of welcomes.”

As part of the public engagement for the draft destination management plan, invitations are being sent out to tourism businesses for the workshops, which are free and will be staged both in person and online.

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.

Sessions will be held at the following locations:

  • The Garden Room at Tennants Auctioneers in Leyburn on Friday, August 11.
  • The Old Deanery in Ripon on Tuesday, August 15.
  • Whitby Pavilion on Tuesday, August 15.
  • Harrogate Convention Centre, Wednesday, August 16.
  • North Yorkshire Council’s offices in Skipton on Wednesday, August 16.
  • The Civic Centre in Selby on Wednesday, August 16.
  • Mercury House in Richmond on Thursday, August 17.
  • Scarborough Spa on Friday, August 18.
  • Pickering Memorial Hall on Tuesday, August 22.

Sessions will run from 11am to 1pm and then 3pm to 5pm at all the venues, apart from the event at the council offices in Skipton which will be staged from 2pm to 4pm and then between 5pm and 7pm. Other venues elsewhere in the county are due to be added.

Online sessions will be available on Monday, August 14, from 12.30pm until 2.30pm and then between 5.30pm and 7.30pm.

More details can be found at: www.eventbrite.com/cc/north-yorkshire-destination-management-plan-2137459