Invest in tourism now or lose it for good, Welcome to Yorkshire chief warns: 'We must not take anything for granted ever again'

That is the message from James Mason, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, the organisation that promotes the county to visitors locally, nationally and around the globe.

With all attractions currently on lockdown, hotels and bed and breakfasts closed, and major events disrupted, James says it is critical that people invest in the region now to ensure the tourist economy can recover once the restrictions are over.

Numerous major events have already been postponed or cancelled including the annual flagship Tour de Yorkshire cycle race, which is organised by Welcome to Yorkshire.

Other fixtures and events called off include Doncaster Pride, the Great Yorkshire Show and the Welcome to Yorkshire Y20 tourism conference, along with planned gigs by The Who, Rick Astley and the Pussycat Dolls.

Organisers of Sheffield’s Tramlines Festival say they are hopeful the three-day event will still go ahead at the end of July, but are promising full refunds in the event of cancellation.

And with South Yorkshire having some of the top-rated visitor attractions in the region according to Trip Advisor – including Sheffield’s Winter Garden and Botanical Gardens, the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Brodsworth Hall and Gardens and Wentworth Woodhouse – the knock-on effect for smaller businesses is massive, said James.

“The Yorkshire tourism industry is worth £9 billion to the region with people coming to Yorkshire from throughout the region, nationally and internationally, particularly through the summer months,” he said. “Many of the region’s most popular locations are in South Yorkshire, and due to the current lockdown, it has completely obliterated the tourism industry.

“Drink and food suppliers are still able to deliver, but hotels and B&Bs rely heavily on people going to visitor attractions, and with the current situation, and with curfews possibly coming into effect, all of these businesses are scrabbling for their very existence.”

He said that because it is currently not possible for staff to ‘get out and about’ to promote the region, they are doing a lot of their marketing and promotional work digitally, and are encouraging people to book and pay for rooms in hotels and B&Bs in the autumn so they can keep afloat until the current lockdown is lifted.

“We want tourism businesses to be able to trade for as long as they can, until we get to the other side of this, when they will be able to hit the ground running,” said James. “And we want people to consider Yorkshire and South Yorkshire as a visitor destination for the autumn.

“There’s a real opportunity to promote staycations, to come to South Yorkshire not just for the day, but for a few days or a week and explore the nature, the animals and the flora and fauna. We can play a huge part in boosting the economy in the region – we have got all of these places on our doorstep and we must not take anything for granted ever again.”

James, along with Welcome to Yorkshire Chairman Peter Cox CBE, wrote an open letter in late March to the region’s MPs calling for financial support for the tourism sector. It came after the Government imposed restrictions on trading.

The letter read: “Across Yorkshire and the Humber, we have been inundated with calls for help from those running visitor attractions and destinations.

“As you know from your constituents who run these businesses, many have not yet recovered from the recent floods that decimated many parts of our region. We fear this pandemic will cause many of our tourism businesses to close their doors for good.

“The measures announced by the Chancellor are far reaching and will be welcomed by many. But there is a sense from our members that urgent action is required now. The Prime Minister’s press conference on March 16 effectively put the ‘closed’ sign on so many organisations that rely exclusively on tourists and visitors for their income.”

Visit www.yorkshire.com to find out more.