Press Release

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%.

Visit County Durham, the county’s Destination Management Organisation and Durham County Council’s tourism service, has welcomed the results which show visitor expenditure rose by 11.7% in 2024, with the value of the county’s visitor economy reaching record levels for the third year in a row.

Overall, 21.56 million people visited the county last year, an increase of 7%. The number of people employed in tourism in Durham has also risen and is up by 4.7% according to the latest STEAM* results.

The major study which tracked visitors to the region throughout 2024 has shown an increase in the number of people staying overnight and has highlighted the county as the only area in the North East to see a rise in overall visitor numbers.

Significant levels of investment in the county’s visitor offer have helped to drive this continued growth, whilst marketing campaigns and strategic partnerships have raised the profile and appeal of the county on a global scale. New and enhanced visitor attractions have played a major part in this success with the New Hall expansion at Locomotion, the transformation of Raby Castle’s Rising development, new experiences at Beamish Museum and developments at The Auckland Project.

With even more investment and developments in the pipeline, including major investment in our hotels, Redhills Durham Miners Hall and plans for a historical theme park at Kynren, the sector is looking to the future with optimism.

From high-profile events and cultural programmes at major attractions to vibrant grassroots festivals and community celebrations, Durham offers year-round reasons to visit, with experiences that reflect the county’s rich heritage, creativity, and warm welcome.

Duncan Peake, Chair of Visit County Durham and CEO of Raby Estates said: “These results illustrate the ambition and resilience of the county’s visitor economy. We have not only survived the challenges of the last few years but have emerged much stronger.

We continue to see new developments take shape across the county and wider region, as well as continuing to reap the rewards of recent investment. However, we must not slow down, we must keep moving forward at pace to ensure the county’s visitor economy continues to prosper, which in turn creates jobs and opportunities for residents.”

Cllr Lyndsey Fox, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for economy and partnerships, said: “We are thrilled with the latest economic assessment STEAM results, which are testament to the incredible partnerships across the county that are committed to working together to grow our visitor economy. Durham continues to grow as an exciting and attractive visitor destination and has greatly benefited from new developments over recent years, and with more to come it puts us in a strong position for 2025 and beyond.”

Jane Ruffer, co-founder of The Auckland Project, said: “These results are a powerful endorsement of the vision and long-term investment that have gone into County Durham’s visitor economy. At The Auckland Project, we’ve experienced first-hand how cultural regeneration and community-led programming can reinvigorate a place and attract both day and overnight visitors. The continued growth in visitor numbers and expenditure is not only good news for our sector but for the communities and local businesses that benefit from this shared success. It’s a clear signal that County Durham’s heritage, creativity and hospitality are resonating with people like never before.”