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.
Destination performance
21.56m
(Visitors Annually)
Over 6m
(75 Attractions)
8%
(Overnight Stays)
13,795
(Jobs Within the Industry)
£1.38bn
(Annual Income)
Latest news
Shortlist of the North East's best places to visit, stay, taste and experience revealed
15 Oct 2025
The businesses competing in the 2026 Destination North East England Tourism Awards have been announced, after hundreds of entries were whittled down. The Destination North East England Tourism Awards have been celebrating the best visitor economy businesses in the area for over two decades, with the region’s finest places to visit, taste, stay and experience […]
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Bishop Auckland College and The Auckland Project sign landmark partnership to boost skills, jobs and culture
15 Oct 2025
Bishop Auckland College and The Auckland Project (TAP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch a strategic partnership that will strengthen skills development, create new employment opportunities, and enhance the town’s cultural and visitor economy. The collaboration will see the college and TAP co-develop a series of training programmes and initiatives designed to […]
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Raby Castle to open for new Christmas experience for the first time in 50 years
13 Oct 2025
Raby Castle will be opening its doors during the festive period for the first time in five decades to show the castle decorated for Christmas, designed by custodian and creative director, Lady Barnard. This will be a chance for visitors to experience how the Vane family enjoyed Christmas at the Castle and see the rooms […]
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Everdurance
We distribute sustainable drinks in eco-friendly packaging to businesses and events across the UK. As self-confessed eco enthusiasts, we’re committed to helping companies cut down on single-use plastics and achieve their own unique sustainability goals. Did you know that 77% of consumers are more willing to purchase goods or services from a company that shows […]
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3D Virtual Spaces
Do you need a 3D Virtual Tour to market your business? 3D Virtual Spaces create multi-purpose, interactive digital solutions to promote your premises. 3D Virtual Spaces create bespoke 360 3D Virtual Tours to give you a business solution which will captivate your audience and promote your organisation. Our tours have endless applications ranging from marketing […]
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Arty, Inc
Gavin Selby - Creative Designer, Photographer and Filmmaker. Gavin has over 18 years experience within the creative arts and is highly passionate about Graphic Design, Photography, Filmmaking, Video Editing and Animation. Trading under the name Arty, Inc. he works closely with local businesses, authorities and groups to create bespoke content for their online presence (Social Media and search […]
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Castle Bank Butchers Stanhope
Jim Higginson opened his first shop at 3 Castle Bank, Tow Law, County Durham on Monday 4th September 1978 and in the years since has expanded the company to the six outlets that form Castle Bank Butchers today. We first branched out from our Tow Law outlet in the early 1980s to the picturesque Weardale town […]
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Visit County Durham latest
World Tourism Day 2025
This World Tourism Day, (27 September) the spotlight is on Tourism and Sustainable Transformation, highlighting tourism’s critical role not just as an economic driver, but as a catalyst for social progress, cultural preservation, and environmental stewardship. Tourism today faces a pivotal challenge: how to grow responsibly while protecting the very heritage, culture, and biodiversity that […]
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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 – 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 county’s place brand - ‘The Durham Story’ - spearheaded by […]
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Visit County Durham partners with 11 Arches to showcase the county
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. A group of journalists representing regional and national publications enjoyed a visit to Durham to see the preview of the 2025 season, […]
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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.
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