Visit County Durham

Visit County Durham (VCD) is the destination management organisation for County Durham and one of a portfolio of nationally supported, strategic, and high-performing accredited Local Visitor Economy Partnerships. We provide strong local leadership and governance, and are committed to the promotion, management, and development of County Durham as a great place to live, work, visit and do business.

Visit County Durham works in partnership locally, regionally, and nationally on shared priorities and targets. Our mission is to support and grow the visitor economy through robust destination management, strong stakeholder relationships and clear planning.

Our vision is to create the conditions for our residents, businesses, and the environment to benefit from sustainable growth in our visitor economy. By supporting and marketing our distinctive heritage, landscapes, culture and warm welcome, we will grow both day and overnight visits and make County Durham a compelling, global destination for tourism, culture, and business.

GLT Award 2025 logoLVEP logo

Durhamโ€™s Visitor Economy Exceeds ยฃ1 Billion Milestone

Durhamโ€™s Visitor Economy Exceeds ยฃ1 Billion Milestone

Tourism contributed ยฃ1.23 billion to Durhamโ€™s economy, the latest industry research has revealed.

Durham Story

Durham Story

Discover more about our exciting new approach to promoting the county.

Join Us

From attractions and accommodation providers to places to eat, things to do and local suppliers, Visit County Durham Partnership brings benefits through promoting and developing any type or size of business.

Join Us

Filming Friendly Durham

Supporting production companies, filmmakers and photographers, make Durham your next destination.

Filming Friendly Durham
Seasonal Marketing Opportunities

Seasonal Marketing Opportunities

Throughout the year Visit County Durham partners can take advantage of a programme of free, and cost-effective promotional opportunities for your business.

Image Library

Image Library

The online media centre is free to use and allows you to access key photography and videography from across the county. All of which showcases the countyโ€™s many amazing attractions, food and drink experiences, breathtaking landscapes, fun things to do and more!

Destination performance

Visitors
Visitors in Durham

21.56m

(Visitors Annually)

Visits to Attractions
Attractions in Durham

Over 6m

(75 Attractions)

Staying Visitors
Accommodation in Durham

8%

(Overnight Stays)

Employment
Tourism employment in Durham

13,795

(Jobs Within the Industry)

Visitor Economy
Durhams Visitor economy

ยฃ1.38bn

(Annual Income)

Latest news

Lumiere Ticket News

17 Sep 2025

Information you can provide your guests enquiring about Lumiere 2025 tickets - it has been announced visitors can now register to book tickets for the festival taking place between 13th and 15th November. By registering in advance, visitors will get a smoother booking experience whenย tickets go on general sale on 1st October - Durham County […]

Read More about Lumiere Ticket News

Kynren's volunteer cast and crew receive standing ovation after 2025 season finale

15 Sep 2025

Kynrenโ€™s 2025 season came to an end on Saturday evening, with the showโ€™s 1,000-strong volunteer cast and crew receiving a standing ovation from the audience. The award-winning live action night showโ€™s finale concluded Kynrenโ€™s nine-show run, with its 2025 season welcoming the highest number of visitors since 2019. Ticket sales rose by 12% on 2024, 48% […]

Read More about Kynren's volunteer cast and crew receive standing ovation after 2025 season finale

TEDx Returns to Durham This November

12 Sep 2025

Durham, UK โ€“ September 2025 โ€“ Durham will welcome back the return of TEDxDurham on Sunday, 2 November 2025 at the Gala Durham. The original TEDxDurham took place 12 years ago in 2013 in Northern England and then travelled abroad to Durham, North Carolina. It is proudly being repatriated back to its original UK home […]

Read More about TEDx Returns to Durham This November

Suppliers to industry

Durham Mustard

Durham Mustard

Englandโ€™s first smooth dry mustard was developed by Mrs Clements of Durham in 1720 and while many people associate Norfolk with mustard, it was here in Durham where dry mustard powder was originally created. Inspired by this, Stephanie Celino, is hoping to breathe new life into this historic condiment and supply the region with Durham Mustard […]

Read More about Durham Mustard
n-gage.io

n-gage.io

The all-in-one, cloud based attraction management software and audience mobile app, helping the global attraction, leisure & entertainment industry to enhance audience engagement, gain valuable insights & drive revenues. Built from the ground up for the experience economy, theย n-gage.ioย platform and mobile visitor app is helping attractions of all sizes and types to simplify their approach […]

Read More about n-gage.io
Shout Loud Social

Shout Loud Social

We aim to simplify digital marketing for businesses by providing comprehensive services all in one place. Based at Ushaw House on the outskirts of Durham City, our team specialises in a wide range of services, including: Our approach is designed to alleviate the burden on business owners and senior leadership teams who may find digital […]

Read More about Shout Loud Social
Pascal Fintoni & Associates

Pascal Fintoni & Associates

Are you a Hospitality or Tourism Business in County Durham Looking to Stand Out? Are you ready to transform the reputation of your business with smart AI and digital marketing strategies?Could your marketing campaigns benefit from expert guidance to enhance visibility and drive bookings? That's where I can help. I'm Pascal Fintoni, and for over […]

Read More about Pascal Fintoni & Associates

Visit County Durham latest

Champions set to showcase Durham on a global scale

Champions set to showcase Durham on a global scale

Businesses, organisations and individuals from across County Durham have come together for the first Durham Champions โ€“ an exciting new county-wide network made up of people who are passionate about the place and want to see it thrive. It follows the recent launch of the countyโ€™s place brand - โ€˜The Durham Storyโ€™ - spearheaded by […]

Read More about Champions set to showcase Durham on a global scale
Visit County Durham partners with 11 Arches to showcase the countyย 

Visit County Durham partners with 11 Arches to showcase the countyย 

As Kynren, An Epic Tale of England celebrates its 10th anniversary season, Visit County Durham has partnered with 11 Arches to showcase the multi-award-winning outdoor show and the county to key media publications.ย  A group of journalists representing regional and national publications enjoyed a visit to Durham to see the preview of the 2025 season, […]

Read More about Visit County Durham partners with 11 Arches to showcase the countyย 
Durham showcased to thousands at The Great Yorkshire Show

Durham showcased to thousands at The Great Yorkshire Show

Members of the Visit County Durham team headed south last week to fly the flag for Durham at The Great Yorkshire Show. The annual four-day event is a highlight in the agricultural diary attracting 140,000 visitors, the show is an excellent opportunity to promote Durham as Yorkshire represents a target market for the county.

Read More about Durham showcased to thousands at The Great Yorkshire Show
Group travel partnership to showcase Durham

Group travel partnership to showcase Durham

Visit County Durham has partnered with Group Travel World to showcase the county to key group travel organisers, tour and coach operators. Following a visit to The Auckland Project, preview of the 2025 season of Kynren โ€“ An Epic Tale of England, and accommodation at Park Head Hotel, we hosted the group so they could […]

Read More about Group travel partnership to showcase Durham