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
Package Travel Consultation
25 Jun 2025
The Department for Business and Trade is currently consulting on proposed changes to the 2018 Package Travel Regulations. The consultation includes reforming the domestic package market to exempt domestic (UK) holidays that do not contain a booked travel element from the regulations and further technical changes to make clearer what services are within the scope […]
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Tourism Awards Now Open
25 Jun 2025
Entries for the Destination North East England Tourism Awards 2026 are NOW OPEN! This is your chance to showcase the excellence and quality in your business, gain national recognition and celebrate your successes. With 19 categories ranging from camping and glamping to awards for the best visitor attractions there is a category for everyone. Submit […]
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Iconic high-speed train to make historic visit to Weardale Railway
23 Jun 2025
Railway fans and families are in for a treat this summer as the legendary InterCity 125 High Speed Train (HST) makes a rare appearance on the scenic Weardale Railway. For one day only – Sunday 17 August – the iconic HST, made up of power cars 43089 and 43159, will run a special service between […]
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Broom House Farm
Broom House Farm is an organic farm situated high above the Browney River Valley and overlooking Durham City. We breed our own Aberdeen Angus beef, lamb, mutton and Saddleback pork. The butchery displays in our farm shop showcase these products, properly hung and skilfully presented by our master butchery team. People travel miles to get […]
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McColl's Brewery
Established back in 2016 by Daniel and Gemma McColl, McColl's Brewery was created to bring their North East warmth, a love of easy drinking beers and their passion for open and welcoming hospitality to being. To be involved in all aspects of a product, from its creation right through to its dispense and see the […]
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Watts Up Consulting
Watts Up Consulting is a Durham-based energy company, dedicated to helping local businesses to manage their utility costs, while also giving back to the local community. We offer free, no-obligation utility bill checks to identify hidden charges and secure better deals on gas, electric, water and more. What sets us apart is our commitment to […]
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East Durham College
At East Durham College we provide an entire suite of services aimed at improving the quality of your workforce and helping your company to function better. And the great news for your business is that we can access funds directly to reduce your training costs. Education and training, as you would expect, lie at the […]
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Visit County Durham latest
VCD Blog -Â The Durham StoryÂ
The focus of my latest blog is The Durham Story, the launch of Durham’s new place brand. It is an exciting new approach to promoting the county that was recently unveiled to over 80 stakeholders at a launch event at Gala Durham. The event, hosted by Durham County Council and Durham University, was the culmination […]
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Partnership ensures cricket fans are bowled over by Durham
Visit County Durham has once again teamed up with The Barmy Army to showcase Durham as a holiday destination to cricket fans. Continuing the successful partnership which began during the Cricket World Cup in 2019, Visit County Durham is delighted to be working with the England cricket team’s supporter club to maximise the benefit to […]
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Durham shortlisted for national award
Durham has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Group Leisure & Travel Awards 2025. The county has been nominated by readers of Group Leisure and Travel magazine and is now in the running to be voted Best UK Destination.
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Durham promoted through National Walking Month Â
The annual National Walking Month initiative takes place every May and encourages people to walk more to promote the physical and mental health benefits, and provides destinations with a platform to promote their walking offer. This year’s National Walking Month followed the recent 60th anniversary of the Pennine Way, which saw Visit County Durham partnering with […]
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