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

New multi-day walking route launches in the North Pennines National Landscape

3 Sep 2025

This week marks the launch of the 301km (188-mile) Roof of England Walk – a new multi-day walking trail that explores the North Pennines National Landscape and UNESCO Global Geopark. The Roof of England Walk is a journey around the North Pennines, with its name reflecting its lofty location in the uplands of Northern England. […]

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North Pennines stargazing festival programme launches

27 Aug 2025

The programme has been launched for this year’s celebration of the dark skies of the North Pennines National Landscape and UNESCO Global Geopark. The ninth North Pennines Stargazing Festival will run from Wednesday 22 October to Sunday 2 November 2025, with a range of fun and informative events throughout the Autumn half-term holiday. The full […]

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The Auckland Project invests in local skills with new hospitality training programme

26 Aug 2025

Staff and volunteers at The Auckland Project are being given the opportunity to attend hospitality training as part of a new initiative aimed at strengthening the region’s tourism and visitor economy. In partnership with Bishop Auckland College, The Auckland Project has created a bespoke programme titled ‘Land of the Prince Bishop’s HOST’. The training is […]

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Suppliers to industry

Durham Mustard

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 […]

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n-gage.io

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 […]

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Shout Loud Social

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 […]

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Pascal Fintoni & Associates

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 […]

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Visit County Durham latest

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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Group travel partnership to showcase Durham

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 […]

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