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Latest News
All the latest news from the Industry and the Visit County Durham Grapevine newsletter.
Visit County Durham
Walking trails on track to boost tourism recovery in Durham and wider region
19 Jul 2022
Six long-distance walking trails inspired by the North East’s historic reputation as a place of pilgrimage are playing a significant role in boosting Durham’s tourism economy. Launched last year, the Northern Saints Trails cover more than 200 miles and are positioning the North East as the...
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Visit County Durham
US travel trade mission
13 Jul 2022
In partnership with Marketing Manchester and Avanti Destinations, Visit County Durham is visiting Texas next week as part of the Manchester Gateway Project. We will be meeting with over 150 US travel trade, travel agents and travel media across the week, with the aim of increasing awareness of...
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Visit County Durham
Last chance to vote
13 Jul 2022
Voting closes for Durham Tourism Superstar 2022 this Friday 15th July. Who will take the prestigious award run by Visit County Durham and The Northern Echo, and go on to represent the county at VisitEngland's national awards? The winner is being announced at next Wednesday's Visit County Durham...
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Visit County Durham
Tourism Sentiment Report
6 Jul 2022
The Visit County Durham commissioned Tourism Sentiment Report for June is now available, providing valuable insights for the county's tourism businesses. The score measures Durham's ability to generate positive word of mouth about our tourism offer through online conversations. This month, key...
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Visit County Durham
Accessibility toolkit
6 Jul 2022
VisitEngland has fully updated their Accessible and Inclusive Marketing Toolkit which can help your business reach the £15.3bn accessible tourism market. The toolkit explains the importance of terminology and disability representation, as well as providing hints and tips on creating accessibility...
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Visit County Durham
Vote for your Durham Tourism Superstar
30 Jun 2022
Voting has opened for Durham Tourism Superstar 2022. The competition, held by Visit County Durham and The Northern Echo, seeks to find the person who shows the greatest passion for the county and a real dedication to giving visitors a memorable experience. The winner will go on to represent the...
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Visit County Durham
Well done!
23 Jun 2022
Congratulations to VCD Partner Hall Hill Farm on scooping two awards at the 2022 National Farm Attraction Network Awards (NFAN). Ann, Richard and team won 'Farm Attraction of the Year', awarded to the farm attraction that has delivered the best overall customer experience; and 'Attraction with the...
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Visit County Durham
Understanding international travellers
23 Jun 2022
Want to learn more about the latest mindset of travellers? Join VisitEngland on Wednesday 29 June 2022 at 11am for a free webinar to help understand the current and future landscape of international tourism covering traveller motivations, influences, decisions and sustainability. The webinar will...
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Visit County Durham
North East England Tourism Awards
23 Jun 2022
Tourism businesses across the region are being encouraged to enter the North East England Tourism Awards 2023. In its twentieth year, the awards celebrate quality, innovation and best practice throughout the region, showcasing the fantastic range of high quality experiences on offer for visitors...
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Visit County Durham
Welcome!
15 Jun 2022
We are pleased to welcome to the Visit County Durham team, Lizzie Anderson. Lizzie is our new Communications Executive and brings a wealth of experience...welcome Lizzie!
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Visit County Durham
NE Culture Awards
15 Jun 2022
Nominations are now open for the North East Culture Awards, sponsored by Durham County Council. The awards ceremony brings together the North East's arts, heritage and cultural sectors with live performances and artistic showcases from some of the region's top talents in music, art, dance and...
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Visit County Durham
Save the date
15 Jun 2022
We are pleased to announce the return of the annual Visit County Durham Garden Party. The event will be held at the Black Horse, Beamish on Wednesday 20th July between 4pm and 7pm and is a great opportunity to meet and network with colleagues old and new. The event also sees the announcement of the...
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Visit County Durham
Awards success
15 Jun 2022
It was a successful night for the County at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2022 held at the Library of Birmingham on Wednesday 8th June. Congratulations to both our Strategic Partners Seaham Hall Hotel awarded Gold in the Small Hotel of the Year category, and Hotel Indigo Durham awarded...
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Visit County Durham
Search heating up
9 Jun 2022
The search is heating up to find Durham's Tourism Superstar for 2022. The prestigious award is returning after two years following the COVID pandemic and recognises the dedication and passion of those working in the county's tourism industry. The closing date for nominations is Friday 17th June and...
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Visit County Durham
Coast business survey
9 Jun 2022
The National Coastal Tourism Academy (NCTA) is carrying out a visitor economy business survey covering business performance over Quarter 1 2022 focussing on bookings and challenges. The deadline for survey completion is Monday 20th June. County Durham coastal businesses are encouraged to...
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