New head of Visit York revealed

The new head of Visit York has been announced – and he’ll be a familiar face to many.

Paul Whiting will take over at the top of the tourism body on August 6.

He replaces Sally Greenaway, who is leaving for pastures new after being in the role since February 2016.

Paul is well-known in the York tourism world.

As marketing manager of the Jorvik Group of attractions, he led the marketing team which delivered the award-winning ‘Return of the Vikings’ campaign to re-launch the Viking Centre in April 2017.

Hit the ground running

It is something of a homecoming, as Paul previously worked for Visit York from 2009 to 2013.

Head of Make It York Steve Brown said in the five years since he was last at Visit York, “Paul has developed into an incredibly strong marketing manager in the heritage and tourism sector.

“His experience and his understanding of the tourism sector in York will allow him to hit the ground running and continue to promote the world-class tourism offer here in York.”

Paul described his appointment as “an incredible opportunity to continue promoting York to the world”, saying:

The city has so much to offer visitors and I’m excited at the prospect of working with the team at Visit York and the wider tourism partners to showcase everything on offer through innovative marketing.

The director of attractions at York Archaeological Trust, which runs Jorvik, is Sarah Maltby. She said they were extremely sad to see him move on but also “really pleased that he will still be part of York’s tourism community”:

Over his years as marketing manager for the trust’s attractions he has helped to oversee many developments not least the reimagining of Jorvik following the floods of 2015, for which the marketing team and Jorvik relaunch campaign won prestigious Chartered Institute of Marketing Awards.