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
2024: Year in Search
6 Feb 2025
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 […]
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English Tourism Week
6 Feb 2025
English Tourism Week takes place 14th - 23rd March, and the campaign toolkit is now available for you to download. Designed to kickstart the summer season, the annual campaign gives businesses and destinations an opportunity to shout about tourism as part of a national campaign and raise awareness of the importance of the sector to […]
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We are Hiring
6 Feb 2025
Visit County Durham is looking for an International Partnerships Executive who has knowledge of the visitor economy, culture and creative industry sectors and their role in place-making. You will work to develop and manage internal and external international partnerships and connections that contribute to and increase the regional, national and international profile of the county, […]
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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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