21/05/2010

Proving its unrivalled popularity with visitors once more, York has been crowned  ‘City of the Year' at this year's Coach Tourism Awards which took place last night, Thursday 20 May 2010, at the Holiday Inn, Stratford-Upon-Avon.

Coach operators and readers of Coach Monthly Magazine, which organises the awards, voted for York above other tourism hot spots including Bath, Chester, Liverpool and Southport. This is the third time York has won this accolade at the Coach Tourism Awards having scooped the ‘City of the Year' title in 2006 and 2008.

Visit York's Business Engagement Manager, Sue Frumin, collected the award on behalf of the city in front of four hundred key players in the coach and group tourism sector who gathered to celebrate the very best suppliers and operators in the industry.

Speaking about the prestigious win, Marketing Manager for Visit York, Kate McMullen, said: ‘Coach and group tourism is a crucially important sector for York with 10 per cent1 of York's visitors coming to the city on a coach tour.  We pride ourselves on offering a first class service for coach operators planning visits and ensure we offer coach drivers and visitors the very best access to our city's world class attractions and hospitality establishments.'

‘We regularly receive feedback from coach operators praising Visit York's personal level of service and the fantastic job that hotels, attractions, shops and restaurants do in welcoming and looking after our visitors.  To receive this level of recognition from the coach tourism sector is a great achievement for the city.'

York proactively targets the coach tourism sector through marketing and PR campaigns in association with Welcome to Yorkshire, which includes attendance at national and international travel trade exhibitions, a dedicated guide and website for group organisers and familiarisation visits for tour operators. Boosting its group tourism credentials further, York has recently been shortlisted as a finalist in the ‘Most Group-Friendly UK Destination' category at the Group Travel Awards which take place on Friday 11 June 2010 in London.

Visit York's dedicated Groups Desk offers a free accommodation booking service, itinerary planning advice and a one-stop information point - as well as a website full of special offers and group travel news at www.groupvisityork.com .  Email groups@visityork.org or telephone 01904 550080 for more information.  ENDS