18/01/2010

Now tourism bosses in York and Scarborough have hatched a plan to join forces and benefit from the strengths each destination has to offer.  A joint portfolio of over one hundred meeting and conference venues - all in one of the most stunning regions of the UK - will be launched in London in February.

Kate McMullen, Marketing Manager for Visit York explained, ‘Visit York's conference expertise has paid dividends over the last few years, with York now benefiting from increased revenue from business tourism.  By expanding the portfolio of venues on offer across some of the North Yorkshire region, Visit York will be in a position to offer more choice to conference organisers.  By pooling marketing resources with the Yorkshire Moors and Coast Tourism Partnership, Visit York will be in a much stronger position to market the city and region to business tourists both nationally and internationally.'

‘Conference York and Scarborough' will be officially launched at Confex, the biggest conference exhibition in the UK, on the 23rd February.  Joining the team on the stand will be representatives from Scarborough Spa, the Feversham Arms at Helmsley - AA hotel of the year - York Racecourse, Lakeside at the Food and Environment Research Agency, the Park Inn Hotel, York, York Museums Trust and York's new five star hotel, the Cedar Court Grand (opening in the spring).

In addition to world class venues such as York's National Railway Museum, tourism experts will also be promoting the Scarborough Spa, currently undergoing a £7million refurbishment and due to open late next year - a venue offering capacity for up to 1900 delegates.  The refurbished Scarborough Spa will offer organisers a truly 21st century venue steeped in the tradition of one of the country's original conferencing towns. 

Aviva Pearson, Chief Executive of the Yorkshire Moors and Coast Tourism Partnership said, ‘By joining forces with Visit York we will have a formidable conference and event offering to rival anywhere in Britain.  We're confident Conference York and Scarborough will be a huge success and we'll be working closely with tourism colleagues in Visit York to ensure business tourism in the region goes from strength to strength.'

Led by Visit York, a marketing and promotional campaign will begin in earnest in the New Year.  Joined up marketing budgets will be used to run a series of advertising campaigns, attend leading exhibitions and workshops, bring conference organisers on fact finding visits into the region and take part in regional business tourism campaigns through Welcome to Yorkshire.

Kate continued, ‘Venues in Scarborough perfectly complement those in York.  The area between York and Scarborough offers some stunning scenery, country house hotels and stately homes making it the perfect backdrop for executive meetings, team building and incentive trips and this, combined with the amazing range of venues and access York has to offer means that we will be able to find the perfect venue to suit almost every size  and type of conference and budget.' 

Janet Deacon, Tourism Manager for Scarborough Borough Council said, ‘This is a fantastic opportunity for businesses across the area.  York has a well established conference desk with knowledgeable staff, working together will result in increased business for the whole area.  Scarborough's recent success in being awarded ‘Most Enterprising Place in Europe' and the superb improvements being made to the Spa, together with investment tourism businesses have made, demonstrate to our customers the commitment Scarborough is making to business tourism.'  ENDS