Sometimes walking round York it feels like there couldn’t be any more tourists, but Visit York has revealed that visitor numbers are significantly up.
So far in 2013 visits to attractions were up by a record 16 per cent between January and August this year, when compared to last year.
Visit York also revealed that 311,000 people have been to its Museum Street information centre since the beginning of the year, making a total of 1.3 million visitors at the centre since it opened in May 2010.
Hotel room occupancy for the year so far is on a par with last year at 77 per cent, higher than the national average (excluding London), and room rates are up by two per cent to £76.54.
Visit York says a combination of factors have boosted visitor numbers. Whilst the good weather this summer no doubt played a part they also cite effective marketing campaigns, and the continuing popularity of the “staycation” where Brits are choosing to holiday closer to home.
“An array of new reasons” to visit York also helped. These include the National Railway Museum’s Mallard 75, the exhibitions on Richard III at the Yorkshire Museum and the new attraction Revealing York Minster.
“York has put on more quality events, festivals and exhibitions than ever before,” said chief executive of Visit York Gillian Cruddas. “Our latest tourism figures demonstrate that visitors appreciate the huge variety of things to see and do here.”
Best be prepared for queuing then…