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
21.56m
(Visitors Annually)
Over 6m
(75 Attractions)
8%
(Overnight Stays)
13,795
(Jobs Within the Industry)
£1.38bn
(Annual Income)
Latest news
Eight years of excavations reveal Bishop Auckland’s medieval palace
3 Jul 2025
After almost a decade of digging, and over 1,000 diggers, Durham University’s Department of Archaeology and The Auckland Project are coming to the end of a campaign of archaeological research to uncover the medieval past buried in the historic grounds of Auckland Palace. Since 2018, volunteers, students and aspiring archaeologists of all ages have taken […]
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Durham on a winning streak as the county scoops a host of national awards and international recognition
2 Jul 2025
It has been a winning week for County Durham as the county picked up a collection of prestigious awards recognising the world class visitor offer, and the work, creativity and commitment of visitor economy businesses across the county. The spotlight was on Beamish, The Living Museum of The North on Thursday as it appeared on […]
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Seaham Hall named one of the best hotels in the world by prestigious global ranking
2 Jul 2025
Seaham Hall, the iconic five-star boutique hotel on the Durham Heritage Coast, has been officially named one of the best hotels in the world by La Liste, a globally respected authority on hotel excellence. This prestigious recognition places Seaham Hall among a select group of elite properties worldwide, showcasing its unique blend of luxury, history, […]
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Durham Catering
Durham Catering offers a unique personal service to both Businesses and Private Individuals throughout the Durham Dales, Durham City and Beyond. Specialising in Simply cooked Locally Sourced Foods concentrating on freshness, presentation and superb service we are perfectly placed for a factory opening Ceremony, a celebration dinner for 200 or a small intimate dinner party […]
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Shaka-International
Shaka International Bio UVision Lamp: Ensuring Guest Safety Through Sanitation Excellence In today’s hospitality industry, ensuring impeccable hygiene standards is not just a compliance measure—it’s a brand differentiator. The Bio UVision Lamp is a state-of-the-art UV inspection tool engineered specifically for fast, accurate detection of biofilms, bacteria, viruses, moulds, and other contaminants. Ideal for hotels, […]
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The Tea Enthusiasts
The Tea Enthusiasts have a lot to offer business customers large or small. Our personalised hands-on approach to service means your orders will not only be competitively priced within the market but customised to meet your needs. Bring your drinks upmarket and on trend with artisanal teas of the highest quality at prices you wouldn't believe. Business to Business sales are […]
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Reed in Partnership
Reed in Partnership provides the Restart Scheme in County Durham. The Restart Scheme is a support service for long-term unemployed jobseekers. The service gives Universal Credit claimants who are out of work enhanced support to find jobs in their local area. Jobseekers who fit the eligibility criteria receive up to 12 months of intensive personal […]
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Visit County Durham latest
VCD Blog - The Durham Story
The focus of my latest blog is The Durham Story, the launch of Durham’s new place brand. It is an exciting new approach to promoting the county that was recently unveiled to over 80 stakeholders at a launch event at Gala Durham. The event, hosted by Durham County Council and Durham University, was the culmination […]
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Partnership ensures cricket fans are bowled over by Durham
Visit County Durham has once again teamed up with The Barmy Army to showcase Durham as a holiday destination to cricket fans. Continuing the successful partnership which began during the Cricket World Cup in 2019, Visit County Durham is delighted to be working with the England cricket team’s supporter club to maximise the benefit to […]
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Durham shortlisted for national award
Durham has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Group Leisure & Travel Awards 2025. The county has been nominated by readers of Group Leisure and Travel magazine and is now in the running to be voted Best UK Destination.
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Durham promoted through National Walking Month
The annual National Walking Month initiative takes place every May and encourages people to walk more to promote the physical and mental health benefits, and provides destinations with a platform to promote their walking offer. This year’s National Walking Month followed the recent 60th anniversary of the Pennine Way, which saw Visit County Durham partnering with […]
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