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
20.15m
(Visitors Annually)
6.5m
(75 Attractions)
8%
(Overnight Stays)
13,178
(Jobs Within the Industry)
£1.23bn
(Annual Income)
Latest news
Into The Light Place Partnership to Open New Mentorship Scheme
12 Feb 2025
Into the Light’s skills hub, hosted by Beamish Museum, to increase opportunities in the creative and cultural sector is looking for mentors who would like to get involved. The County Durham Creative and Cultural Skills Hub is part of the county-wide Into the Light programme, which aims to cultivate talent, boost skills and break down […]
Read More about Into The Light Place Partnership to Open New Mentorship Scheme
17 Arts & Culture Leaders Selected for Leadership Development Opportunityin County Durham
11 Feb 2025
The Bowes Museum is excited to announce the 17 dynamic individuals selected to DurhamCreative Community Fellows, a free and innovative learning experience for people driving positivechange in County Durham through arts and culture projects. The programme is delivered inpartnership with Derby Museums and the USA-based NAS. It is a component of the Into the LightPlace […]
Read More about 17 Arts & Culture Leaders Selected for Leadership Development Opportunityin County Durham
S&DR200 festival launches with All Change, a spectacularopen-air live performance and drone show
11 Feb 2025
The S&DR200 festival will launch with All Change, a spectacular open-air event in Bishop Auckland combining dazzling projections, drones and up to 100 live performers bringing history to life, on Saturday 29 March 2025. The nine-month S&DR200 international festival, running from March to November 2025 across County Durham and the Tees Valley, is inspired by […]
Read More about S&DR200 festival launches with All Change, a spectacularopen-air live performance and drone showSuppliers to industry
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 […]
Read More about Arty, Inc
Durham Coffee
Situated in Sacriston, we’re a father-daughter roasting duo with a passion for coffee and a love for the North East. With a range of beans from around the world, we aim to showcase the diversity of flavour within the speciality coffee industry and hope to encourage people to connect to our wonderful region through our […]
Read More about Durham Coffee
The HUB Consett Market place
With over 65 stockists The Market Place is a catalogue of small and micro businesses looking to grow their businesses within the North East. Our small business community is a hive of thriving small businesses always looking out for the next opportunity to grow and prosper in the local area.
Read More about The HUB Consett Market place
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 […]
Read More about Everdurance
Visit County Durham latest
Durham and Tees Valley partnership showcases shared rail heritage
Following the exciting announcement this week of the opening event of the S&DR200 international festival, the 200th anniversary of the journey that changed the world is being harnessed by Visit County Durham and Visit Tees Valley for an exciting new partnership. The festival is providing the destination management organisations with a hook to promote their shared […]
Read More about Durham and Tees Valley partnership showcases shared rail heritage
Full steam ahead as Durham and Tees Valley join forces to showcase 200 years of railway heritage
2025 is off to a busy start for Visit County Durham as we partner with Visit Tees Valley and S&DR200 to promote the region’s railway heritage, and the international festival which is on track to take this incredible story to the world. The 9-month international festival taking place across Durham and Tees Valley celebrates the […]
Read More about Full steam ahead as Durham and Tees Valley join forces to showcase 200 years of railway heritage
VCD Blog - Working towards a more sustainable future
As world leaders recently gathered in Baku for Cop29 it is a reminder of the ever-present threat of climate change and the need for us all to take action. According to the World Economic Forum a recent study puts the tourism industry's impact at 8% of global carbon emissions.
Read More about VCD Blog - Working towards a more sustainable future
Make your Next Stop Durham
UK holiday makers are being urged to explore the beauty of their own country before jetting off to other destinations. A new campaign is highlighting why Durham should be at the top of everyone’s must visit list. Its unique and diverse experiences and world-class attractions make it the perfect...
Read More about Make your Next Stop Durham
