Industry News

2024 has been a fantastic year for the county, and now our focus moves to the year ahead, and how we can support businesses to continue to succeed and grow the value of the visitor economy beyond the current record £1.23bn.

Visit County Durham’s annual Autumn Conference, taking place on 6 November, is an opportunity to do just that, by hearing from industry experts on topics that will support the destination and its businesses in 2025 and beyond.

The conference will look at how consumers are evolving and how we can promote or develop experiences that will attract new visitors. 

Whether it’s fish and chips, or a traditional pub lunch, afternoon tea or fine dining in one of our outstanding venues, food tourism is a growing trend. And addressing sustainability through food and drink is an impactful way in which a business can progress on their sustainability journey through making local purchasing decisions and supporting local producers and businesses, the conference will look at the latest case studies and initiatives.

AI – Artificial Intelligence is a hot topic at the moment, with the science of human-like machines set to become an increasing part of our lives. At the Autumn Conference we will look at what implications it may have for the visitor economy, what opportunities it presents, and what we need to be aware of.

There is lots to talk about, but the conference is also an opportunity to talk to others and network with your peers.

We hope you can join us at The Manor House Hotel in West Auckland on Wednesday 6^th November with registration from 10am until 1.30pm with a networking lunch.   Register for your free place here