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
VisitBritain awards Gateway Fund to inspire international visitors to explore Britain through regional gateways
3 Feb 2025
Destination North East England and Marketing Manchester have secured funding from VisitBritain’s GREAT Gateway Innovation Fund. With VisitBritain’s global screen tourism campaign ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ set to launch, the Gateway Fund campaigns will feature film and tv locations and showcase tourism experiences and destinations across the nations and regions. VisitBritain CEO Patricia Yates said: “This important fund supports […]
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North Pennines tribute festival returns for 2025 with early bird discount offer
3 Feb 2025
Derwent Fest is back and ready to transport festival goers through the decades with a tribute weekend like no other. Set in the picturesque North Pennines at Derwent Waterside Park, music, fun and relaxation come together to create an unforgettable weekend. The event takes place on 15 & 16 August 2025 and pays tribute to […]
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Local Award Voting
29 Jan 2025
Voting is now open for Tourism Event & Festival of the Year in the North East England Tourism Awards! This is the first time we've had a publicly voted category - good luck to all the finalists. The businesses shortlisted are: Durham Fire & Ice Festival (Durham BID), Kynren, Northern Pride presents Pride in the […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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.
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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 […]
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Visit County Durham latest
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 […]
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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.
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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...
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Do Durham Differently Delivers Great Results
Research has shown that Do Durham Differently, Visit County Durham’s national destination marketing campaign, contributed an estimated £103m in visitor spend – over 8% of the county’s total annual economic impact. The campaign, which ran from autumn 2023 to spring 2024, was delivered in partnership with the tourism industry and featured high profile marketing activity […]
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