Destination management organisation
Welcome to Visit County Durham - the tourism management agency for County Durham which works on behalf of businesses and public agencies to support the growth and development of the county's visitor economy.
Visit County Durham has strategic responsibility for tourism and performs the functions of destination management and marketing in the county. Many others are involved in delivering a vibrant visitor economy, one organisation cannot do it alone, which is why we are a partnership.
Our aim is to place the visitor at the heart of everything we do.
Destination performance
17.91m
(Visitors Annually)
4.6m
(75 Attractions)
9%
(Overnight Stays)
11,724
(Jobs Within the Industry)
£1.04bn
(Annual Income)
Latest news
Meet up and make a difference
8 May 2024
As part of VCD's commitment to deliver more sustainable events and drive regenerative tourism growth, we have introduced a theoretical free place at our training days and events. This entails donating the cost of the day delegate rate and a Supplier Partner stand at each event to the County Durham Community Foundation which manages over 200 charitable […]
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Tourism Awards open for applications
8 May 2024
Applications are now open for the 2025 North East England Tourism Awards! With 16 categories to choose from there's sure to be one that suits your business. You can enter as many categories as are relevant to you and your team. To help you with writing and submitting an application, workshops will be offered and […]
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ManageGreen
8 May 2024
VCD Strategic Partner Host & Stay has announced the launch of ManageGreen within their property management packages. Dedicated to fostering sustainabiity and conscious travel, ManageGreen represents Host & Stay's commitment to environmental responsibility and signifies an important step forward in reshaping the landscape of holiday let and short-term rental.
Read More about ManageGreenSuppliers to industry
n-gage.io
The all-in-one, cloud based attraction management software and audience mobile app, helping the global attraction, leisure & entertainment industry to enhance audience engagement, gain valuable insights & drive revenues. Built from the ground up for the experience economy, the n-gage.io platform and mobile visitor app is helping attractions of all sizes and types to simplify their approach […]
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Stroodles
Stroodles is an Eco Tableware company, famous for its pasta straws, featured on Dragons Den, BBC Good Food, Unilad, and many more. The Stroodles portfolio also includes edible biscuit spoons and stirrers, edible wafer cups, eco wheat bran plates, biscuit bowls and saucers. The Alchemist, de Longhi, Marriott, Hilton and Selfridges are already stroodling Stroodles […]
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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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WL Distillery
WL Distillery is a North East based Gin Distillery, combining our passion for gin and the great outdoors by creating authentic tasting gins made with specially selected ingredients. Our recently released First Edition Gin inspired by our distillers Grandads Garden has been crafted to take you on a taste journey of the North East. Combining […]
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Visit County Durham latest
VCD Blog - Celebrating International Women’s Day 2024
Today (Friday 8 March) is International Women’s Day, a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. It is a chance to reflect on the remarkable feats of women, past and present, while also recognising the amazing women we encounter in our own personal and professional lives. Ultimately, International Women’s Day […]
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VCD Blog - Working together for Durham and the North East
At Visit County Durham we are proud to be a part of a proactive network of regional partners working together to promote and develop Durham and North East England as destinations. As one of the three Local Visitor Economy Partnerships piloting England’s first Destination Development Partnership, we work closely with NewcastleGateshead Initiative and Visit Northumberland, […]
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A destination for all: Accessibility takes centre stage at tourism conference
Ensuring an excellent welcome for all visitors was the key theme of Visit County Durham’s 2023 Industry Conference.
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Research reveals Memorable Moments marketing campaign generated millions in visitor spend
Visit County Durham’s national destination marketing campaign, Memorable Moments, generated £86.6 million in visitor spend, research has revealed.
Read More about Research reveals Memorable Moments marketing campaign generated millions in visitor spendSocial wall
📣 This week's Grapevine is out now, read the latest about-
▪️ Meet up and make a difference
▪️ Tourism Awards open for applications
▪️ ManageGreen
▪️ DDP update
Find out more here 👇
https://tinyurl.com/24cry2z9
Businesses can request copies of the brand new 2024 Durham Pocket Guide, free of charge, to make available to their customers.
Copies of the county’s official tourism publication will be distributed throughout the region, playing an important role in inspiring visitors and residents, by ...providing information on things to see and do, and places to eat.
Request your copies by emailing 👇
visitor@thisisdurham.com
The Pocket Guide can also be downloaded here 👉https://www.visitcountydurham.org/official-visitor-guide/
The North East Tourism Awards are open, meaning you can get in early and work on your application!
Submissions close on 16 Sept at 5pm, so you have time to perfect your entry and ensure it reflects your business' star quality.
Learn more here 👉 https://tinyurl.com/5ft3sada
Visit County Durham's Northern Saints Trails Passport encourages walkers to seek out locations along the Northern Saints routes to obtain stamps as a record of their visit.
Marketing activity promotes participating businesses, driving footfall to those taking part.
Get in touch to... find out more about stocking or participating in the passport here 👇
Craig.Wilson@visitcountydurham.org
Supplier Partner Weardale Cheese produces a range of hard and soft artisan cheeses selling at farmers markets and locally to shops, pubs, restaurants and delicatessens.
Find out more here 👇
https://tinyurl.com/2cvxp8vm
Our Meet in Durham website targets the business events and conference market. The website presents the county's venues, accommodation and unmissable delegate experiences through a single dedicated platform.
You can view the site here 👇
...https://www.thisisdurham.com/meet-in-durham
To get involved, email us 👉 info@meetindurham.org
Make sure you never miss out on the latest industry news with our Wednesday Grapevine e-newsletter.
Sign up here 👇
https://tinyurl.com/27h89c8v