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
Tickets to go on sale tomorrow as Luxmuralis returns to Durham Cathedral in October
2 May 2024
Luxmuralis is returning for a third year to Durham Cathedral with Space, and tickets go on sale at 11am on Friday 3 May, with some special discounted rates. From Wednesday 9 to Sunday 13 October, visitors will be able to experience stunning light projections of galaxies and see original footage of a rocket launch, all with immersive […]
Read More about Tickets to go on sale tomorrow as Luxmuralis returns to Durham Cathedral in October
Screen Tourism
1 May 2024
Screen tourism has seen significant growth as the 'set jetting' trend continues, with consumers influenced by their favourite films and programmes in their choice of holiday destination. Our county is home to many landmarks and landscapes that have been featured in Hollywood blockbusters, cult movies and TV classics. In this special feature from ITVX, learn […]
Read More about Screen Tourism
Host & Stay Launches ManageGreen: Elevating Sustainable Practices in Holiday Home Management
1 May 2024
Host & Stay, a trailblazer in the holiday let management industry, proudly announces the launch of ManageGreen within their property management packages. Dedicated to fostering sustainability 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 management. […]
Read More about Host & Stay Launches ManageGreen: Elevating Sustainable Practices in Holiday Home ManagementSuppliers 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 […]
Read More about n-gage.io
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 […]
Read More about Stroodles
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 […]
Read More about Arty, Inc
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 […]
Read More about WL Distillery
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 […]
Read More about VCD Blog - Celebrating International Women’s Day 2024
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, […]
Read More about VCD Blog - Working together for Durham and the North East
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.
Read More about A destination for all: Accessibility takes centre stage at tourism conference
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
Join Business Durham on 14th May 2024, 09:00 – 12:30 for a CRM Strategy for Business Success Workshop.
This comprehensive workshop focuses on advanced CRM strategy tailored for SME's. Participants will gain insights into maximising the potential of a CRM platform to drive sales, ...improve customer relationships, and optimise business processes.
Find out more and book a place here 👇
https://tinyurl.com/5fmy7uwu
Visit County Durham recently partnered with London North Eastern Railway on a campaign that showcased destinations on the East Coast Mainline to the Chinese market and Chinese students living in the UK.
Content creator Vivien Yin, who has amassed over 185,000 followers on Chinese social media ...platforms WeChat, Weibo and Little Red Book, which talk about her life as a Chinese girl living in the UK, visited Durham to experience our heritage, culture and food and drink.
📣 This week's Grapevine is out now, read the latest about-
▪️ Screen Tourism
▪️ Green Tourism Award
▪️ New Walking and Cycling Route
▪️ How's Business Survey Reminder
Find out more here 👇
https://tinyurl.com/3jpe59an
Having your event listed on Thisisdurham.com is valuable exposure to thousands of visitors to Durham.
If you have an event or an exhibition that you’d like us to include in our Week Ahead events listing guide you can submit this easily here 👇
https://tinyurl.com/545fznfk
Did you know May is National Walking Month?
Throughout the month VCD will utilise the increased awareness and promote walking breaks and activities across the county.
Find out how you can be more walking tourist friendly with our Walking Toolkit 👇
...https://tinyurl.com/2htekbkf
#WalkThisMay
If you are registered to provide your occupancy or visitor numbers via T-Stats, please check your inbox for your monthly reminder. The data enables Visit County Durham to review the performance of the destination and better represent the interests of the industry at local, regional and national ...levels.
If you haven't already shared your information but would like to, or for more information, please email 👇
research@visitcountydurham.org
A key travel route linking educational, retail and residential sites in the north of Durham City is set to benefit from enhanced walking and cycling facilities thanks to a £2.5 million grant.
Durham County Council has secured funding from Active Travel England to deliver improvements ...along a 2.5km route between the Arnison Centre and New College Durham.
Find out more here 👇
https://www.visitcountydurham.org/news/new-2-5-million-walking-and-cycling-route-planned-for-durham-city/