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
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 when 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
Kynren’s 2025 season came to an end on Saturday evening, with the show’s 1,000-strong volunteer cast and crew receiving a standing ovation from the audience. The award-winning live action night show’s finale concluded Kynren’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 – September 2025 – 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 NovemberSuppliers to industry
Durham Mustard
England’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
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, the n-gage.io 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
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
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
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 […]
Read More about Champions set to showcase Durham on a global scale
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, […]
Read More about Visit County Durham partners with 11 Arches to showcase the county
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
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 – 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
