York’s tourism body set to make another loss – but new plans show it ‘means business’

York’s tourism body has said it does not want to borrow any more money from the council and wants to become commercially viable within three years.

Make it York (MIY) is predicting a “short-term” loss of £24,000 over the coming financial year, but bosses have released a three-year business plan setting out how they plan to transform the fortunes of the agency, which has come in for criticism in recent months.

MIY, a company wholly owned by the council, was granted a controversial bailout by the authority at the end of 2020 after suffering significant losses as a result of the pandemic, and auditors last year found “significant weaknesses” in the way the organisation was run.

It was also criticised for a lack of transparency and accountability, something the new-look MIY is keen to address by publishing the 27-page business plan before it is discussed by councillors next week.

Managing director Sarah Loftus took over at the end of last year after the previous postholder, Sean Bullick, quit after two years in charge.

Ms Loftus said the new plan showed MIY “mean business”.

MIY wants to grow membership back to 2018/2019 levels, boost visitor spend by five per cent by 2025 and to return international visits to York to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2023.

On average, York receives 8.4 million visitors per year bringing an economic value of £909 million to the city.

Bosses also want to develop the first markets strategy for the city by December 2022, introduce a series of night and specialist markets in the Shambles Market area and to invest £45,000 into the city’s Christmas lights.

Visitor centre stays

Despite difficulties surrounding rising energy costs, attracting staff and supply chain uncertainties, Ms Loftus has pledged to retain a physical visitor information centre in the centre of York, unlike most other UK cities, who have moved their information centres entirely online.

But the management of West Bank, Rowntree, Rawcliffe Country and Hull Road parks will all be transferred back to the council.

A tender process is also to be set up for all of the organisation’s events and spaces to ensure fairness in city centre operations.  

Ms Loftus said: “Our first Make It York business plan demonstrates that we mean business and we are proudly focused on what we aim to deliver for this city. 

“We have developed a clear and commercially viable plan, which will celebrate cultural and eco-tourism, as well as including more resident-focused activity in our marketing and event plans.” 

In his introduction to the plan, MIY chair Greg Dyke, said: “We want York to be a city of investment and opportunity, of commerce and tourism, not only for visitors, but for the benefit of the 200,000+ people who live, work and play in the city on a daily basis. 

“As an organisation, Make it York is not complacent. We will learn from other cities in Europe and further afield; we will continue to work together with our partners and stakeholders; we do plan to further develop a 365-day place which is vibrant, respected and of which we can all be proud.”