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.

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Durham’s Visitor Economy Exceeds £1 Billion Milestone

Durham’s Visitor Economy Exceeds £1 Billion Milestone

Tourism contributed £1.23 billion to Durham’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 county’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

£1.38bn

(Annual Income)

Latest news

Durham food and drink producers given the chance to showcase their goods in Westminster

7 Oct 2025

Food and drink producers from across the county are being offered a unique opportunity to take centre stage in Westminster in January, thanks to an exciting new initiative from North East rail operator Lumo. In celebration of British Food Fortnight, Lumo is partnering with Food & Drink North East to bring together some of the […]

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Jane Ruffer appointed CEO of The Auckland Project

3 Oct 2025

The Auckland Project has appointed Jane Ruffer as CEO, marking a new chapter for the charity she co-founded with Jonathan Ruffer more than a decade ago. With a background as a doctor, school governor and trustee at several charities, Jane brings decades of leadership experience and a deep understanding of charitable governance. She succeeds David […]

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North East Screen celebrates 3 years of big impacts and bigger ambitions

29 Sep 2025

North East Screen is proud to unveil its 3 Years of Big Impacts Report (2022–2025), showcasing a remarkable period of growth in a difficult global climate. North East Screen Industries Partnership (NESIP) investments across the North East is creating opportunities for the resilient world class talent based in the region to innovate and pivot to new […]

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Suppliers to industry

Everdurance

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

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

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

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

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

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 

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

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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