Media Room
Latest News
All the latest news from the Industry and the Visit County Durham Grapevine newsletter.
Visit County Durham receives sustainable tourism award
30 Jun 2025
Visit County Durham has been awarded a prestigious green accolade for its commitment to sustainability. The Bronze Green Tourism Award recognises the businesses eco-friendly practices and dedication to protecting the climate and supporting the local community. The Green Tourism...
Read More about Visit County Durham receives sustainable tourism awardDurham named Best UK Destination at national award
27 Jun 2025
Durham has scooped the award as Best UK Destination as Beamish Museum is named Best UK Attraction at the Group Leisure & Travel Awards 2025. The county was voted for by readers of Group Leisure and Travel magazine following a shortlisting of other top UK locations, including the Isle...
Read More about Durham named Best UK Destination at national awardBeamish, The Living Museum of the North wins £120,000 Art Fund of the Year 2025 Award
27 Jun 2025
Beamish, The Living Museum of the North has been announced as Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025. Rhiannon Hiles, Beamish’s Chief Executive, was presented with the £120,000 prize – the largest museum prize in the world – by Phil Wang, comedian and judge for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025, at...
Read More about Beamish, The Living Museum of the North wins £120,000 Art Fund of the Year 2025 AwardPackage Travel Consultation
25 Jun 2025
The Department for Business and Trade is currently consulting on proposed changes to the 2018 Package Travel Regulations. The consultation includes reforming the domestic package market to exempt domestic (UK) holidays that do not contain a booked travel element from the regulations and further...
Read More about Package Travel ConsultationTourism Awards Now Open
25 Jun 2025
Entries for the Destination North East England Tourism Awards 2026 are NOW OPEN! This is your chance to showcase the excellence and quality in your business, gain national recognition and celebrate your successes. With 19 categories ranging from camping and glamping to awards for the best visitor...
Read More about Tourism Awards Now OpenIconic high-speed train to make historic visit to Weardale Railway
23 Jun 2025
Railway fans and families are in for a treat this summer as the legendary InterCity 125 High Speed Train (HST) makes a rare appearance on the scenic Weardale Railway. For one day only – Sunday 17 August – the iconic HST, made up of power cars 43089 and 43159, will run a special service between...
Read More about Iconic high-speed train to make historic visit to Weardale RailwayMining Art Gallery marks 200 years of the Stockton & Darlington Railway with new exhibition
23 Jun 2025
Bishop Auckland’s Mining Art Gallery commemorates the railway that revolutionised the world with Fuelling the Railway Revolution, an evocative new exhibition. The exhibition celebrates the 200th anniversary of the first journey on the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR200), the world’s...
Read More about Mining Art Gallery marks 200 years of the Stockton & Darlington Railway with new exhibitionNorth East England invites travellers to visit… If they dare!
19 Jun 2025
Britain’s national tourism agency VisitBritain and Destination North East England have teamed up with 28 Years Later to invite visitors to discover some of the stunning locations featured in the highly anticipated film as part of a multi-channel co-promotional campaign. VisitBritain and...
Read More about North East England invites travellers to visit… If they dare!Durham business amongst UK's top Regional Stars named in inaugural campaign
18 Jun 2025
Britain’s food heritage is in the spotlight thanks to Speciality Food Magazine and Speciality & Fine Food Fair’s Regional Stars initiative: a project designed to uncover the businesses most passionate about sharing an authentic taste of their region with food lovers far and wide. 25...
Read More about Durham business amongst UK's top Regional Stars named in inaugural campaignThe Story celebrates successful first chapter
16 Jun 2025
A County Durham culture, heritage and registration venue is celebrating its first anniversary this week, and what a year it has been. From fascinating exhibitions, historic talks, interactive workshops and a specular illuminated trail, to conducting hundreds of fairytale weddings and registering...
Read More about The Story celebrates successful first chapterRaby Castle's gardens nominated for international award
12 Jun 2025
Raby Castle’s recent landscape design scheme and remodelled 18th century Walled Gardens have been nominated in the prestigious and much-anticipated 2025 European Garden Award. Shortlisted in the Management or Development of a Historic Park or Garden category, the chance to be...
Read More about Raby Castle's gardens nominated for international awardFull Seaham Food Festival line-up revealed
11 Jun 2025
Two star bakers, popular television presenters and the BBC MasterChef Champion of Champions are among the famous faces heading to a North East food festival this summer. Durham County Council has announced which chefs will be joining headliner John Torode MBE when Seaham Food Festival returns on...
Read More about Full Seaham Food Festival line-up revealedNew murals by Adébayo Bolaji and Kate Jackson’s unveiled today on the S&DR200 Trail of Discovery
11 Jun 2025
The S&DR200 festival has launched a series of murals by six artists who will create nine new artworks marking the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR). The project is supported by funding from Historic England and the Railway Heritage Trust, marking...
Read More about New murals by Adébayo Bolaji and Kate Jackson’s unveiled today on the S&DR200 Trail of DiscoveryBumper investment drives continued growth for Durham’s visitor economy
11 Jun 2025
Latest tourism figures show a major boost for Durham’s visitor economy as the county sees overall visitor expenditure rise to a record £1.38billion, with the number of day visitors now 7.6% higher than pre pandemic figures, and overnight visitors also rising by 1.8%.
Read More about Bumper investment drives continued growth for Durham’s visitor economyVisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2025 winners announced
9 Jun 2025
VisitEngland has revealed the winners of its VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2025, highlighting the very best of England’s outstanding tourism industry. Gold, Silver and Bronze winners have been announced across 17 categories ranging from ‘New Tourism Business of the Year’ and ‘Pub...
Read More about VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2025 winners announced