Industry News
2024: Year in Search
We take a look back on what visitors searched for and looked at throughout 2024 on thisisdurham.com, the county’s official tourism website.
January
As the new year got underway visitors to our website were busy making plans for the month and year ahead. One of the most popular searches was Durham Restaurant Week, a popular event where locals and visitors can indulge in culinary delights throughout the city.
Plans were also being made to get outdoors with people seeking information on the historic town of Barnard Castle and its picturesque surroundings. Pow Hill Country Park near Edmundbyers, Consett, was also a popular search showing visitors were keen to beat the January blues and get outside in Durham’s great outdoors.
February
As the winter season started to come to an end and spring was in sight, website visitors started to look for outdoor activities and attractions as they searched ‘things to do in Durham’.
The annual Durham City Fire and Ice Festival was the most popular page on the site this month. People were also keen to find out about Seaham Beach whilst some visitors were looking further ahead to June as they sought information about the annual Northern Kin Festival.
March
Durham and things to do in Durham were the most popular searches this month people were also interested in Seaham Sea Glass and once again Barnard Castle.
As spring approaches, Durham gears up for the Durham Brass Festival which offers vibrant entertainment in venues across the city. People were interested to find out what was happening during the festival, they were also looking for information about Beamish, The Living Museum of the North - always a popular choice for days out during the Easter holidays.
April
In April, Durham is buzzing with activity and visitors to our website were looking for places to visit with many interested in the Spring Seasonal Market at Raby Castle, where visitors can enjoy local crafts and delicious food. Barnard Castle and Seaham also made it into the top 10 search list once again, as people looked for Easter holiday inspiration.
May
As the days get longer and brighter Barnard Castle and Seaham are once again popular searches. Visitors to our website are always interested in things to do in Durham and that continued throughout May. Ushaw Classic Car & Bike Show was the 4th most popular search on our website. Durham Pride came in at number 6, an event promoting inclusivity and diversity.
June
Destinations for days out are sought-after with visitors to our website and this month a search for Stanhope was the 9th popular.
June in Durham is a busy month filled with various events for all interests. The Northern Kin Festival took place and people were keen to search online to see what was on offer at the annual event. There was also lots of interest in The Story, Durham as it opened its doors to visitors offering them the chance to explore 900 years of history all under one roof.
July
Every summer a packed programme of festivals and events takes place across the county. Attracting a lot of interest on the site in July was Seaham Food Festival and people were looking for information about the annual Big Meeting which marked its 138th year in 2024. It is a significant event that brings the community together, a traditional miners' gala that features parades, music, and various entertainment.
August
The summer of fun continued throughout August, with some of the county’s key annual events taking place. The Northern Kin Festival was the 4th most popular web search this month, whilst Kynren entered in 5th position. Coming it at number 7 was Durham Classic Car Show- an event that sees vehicles from all ages displayed on Palace Green. People were also searching for ‘what’s on near me’ showing people were keen to plan days out close to home and enjoy all there is on offer in Durham.
September
Things to see and do across the county and what’s on information continued to prove popular as the summer started to end, but Durham maintains its vibrant atmosphere.
The Consett Farmers Market was in 8th place this month as people looked for information about the event which offers fresh produce and local goods. There was also interest in the Durham Drone Show and people were busy seeking information about the ever-popular Seaham Sea Glass.
October
As autumn got underway the change in season started to drive traffic to the site, with the dedicated landing pages for Halloween and Bonfire Night all appearing in the top 10, along with Things to Do and Attractions.
The Durham Book Festival 2024 attracted visitors to the city and to our website as it was the 9th most searched for term.
November
November in Durham sees the transition from autumn to winter with a variety of exciting events. People were looking for information on firework displays in Durham making it the number one search for the month.
It was starting to look a lot like Christmas too as consumer interest turned to festive visits, events and activities. Our dedicated Christmas Events page, Christmas Markets and the Durham Christmas Festival all made the top 10 list of most popular pages.
December
As December arrives, Durham transforms into a winter wonderland with a host of Christmas-themed events and activities. This month saw the return of the online Advent Calendar, which as well as providing a platform to support many of the county’s attractions and hospitality businesses, it also provides a fun engagement tool for consumers and drives considerable traffic to the site, with the page making the top spot that month.
There was also interest in specific Christmas events as Lumley Castle’s Christmas market was the 7th most popular search.
As well as providing useful insights, reviewing the top web pages on thisisdurham.com helps to identify trends and opportunities that can be utilised to continue to grow the county’s official tourism website. Achieving over 1m unique visits in 2024, the site continues to be a vital tool to support businesses and inspire consumers, converting interest in the county into visits.
Explore the consumer website at thisisdurham.com