Tourism

The Group Leisure & Travel Awards are among the UK’s most established honours in the group travel sector. They celebrate excellence across attractions, tour operators, museums, venues, live experiences and destinations, based on votes from readers of Group Leisure & Travel magazine. 

Also shortlisted on the night were Kynren – An Epic Tale of England, and Beamish Museum, demonstrating even further why the county is such a great destination for groups.

Visit County Durham has supported the group travel market for many years, through business support, product development, and promotion. Investment has been made in coach parking and facilities by Durham County Council and private-sector businesses, resulting in the county holding the most Coach Friendly Accreditations. And through our Discover Durham groups and travel trade consortium, we work in partnership with tourism businesses to raise the collective profile and appeal of the county, with results like this demonstrating success.

Michelle Gorman, managing director at Visit County Durham, said: “County Durham has always had an excellent group travel offer, from our world-class attractions, experiences and events, to fantastic landscapes and food and drink. Significant recent investment, including The Rising at Raby Castle, Remaking Beamish, New Hall at Locomotion, and accommodation refurbishments across the county, have strengthen our offer even further. And with two exciting new attractions set to open this summer, Kynren – The Storied Lands and The Light, we are certain that our share of this valuable market will continue to grow, supporting businesses, and providing opportunities for our residents. But this isn’t a Visit County Durham win, it’s a win for County Durham’s entire visitor economy and its passion, creativity and resilience.”

Rob Yandell, publisher of Group Leisure and Travel, added: “Our warmest congratulations go to all of this year’s winners and finalists, and to everyone across the travel trade whose dedication continues to create exceptional experiences and outstanding service for groups. The continued support of our Awards Partners, along with the enthusiasm and engagement of our readers, has once again played a vital role in the success of these awards. 

“Bringing together more than 300 guests to celebrate achievements and connect with colleagues has been a true pleasure, and we hope everyone enjoyed another memorable occasion.” 

The latest STEAM* assessment also shows that 21.98 million people visited the county in 2025, up 2% on 2024, the highest visitor numbers in the North East.

Visit County Durham, Durham County Council’s tourism service, has welcomed the figures, which demonstrate the impact of sustained investment, strong partnership working, and the continued development of high-quality visitor experiences across the county.

Overnight stays, a key objective for the county’s Destination Management Organisation to ensure sustainable growth for the destination, continued to deliver significant economic value, with visitors staying longer and spending more during 2025. Staying visitor numbers increased by 1.8% to 1.67 million, while overnight visitor expenditure rose by 11.2% to £651.94 million – accounting for 44% of all visitor spending despite representing just 8% of total visits.

The figures also reflect the impact of sustained national and international marketing activity led by Visit County Durham in partnership with the county’s tourism businesses.

This success has contributed to the positive regional performance, with data showing the North East’s visitor economy also continues to grow, welcoming more than 70 million visitors in 2025, up 2.8% on the previous year.

Tourism also continues to play a significant role in supporting employment and local businesses across County Durham. The latest figures show that over 14,000 full-time equivalent jobs are now supported by the visitor economy, an increase of 2% from 2024, including 11,250 directly employed within the sector and a further 2,819 jobs supported through the wider supply chain.

ignificant investment across County Durham’s tourism, hospitality, heritage and cultural offer has helped support this continued growth. The county’s growing outdoor offer, alongside a year-round programme of festivals, events and experiences, is also helping to encourage visitors to stay longer and explore more areas of the county.

Duncan Peake, Chair of Visit County Durham and CEO of Raby Estates, said: “These latest figures reflect the strength and resilience of County Durham’s visitor economy and demonstrate the positive impact of continued investment and collaboration across the sector. Tourism plays an important role in supporting jobs, businesses and communities across the county, and it is encouraging to see continued growth in visitor numbers, visitor spending and employment. We know there are still more opportunities ahead, particularly around further growth in overnight stays and continued investment in
visitor experiences and accommodation, and we will continue working closely with partners across the county to build on this momentum.”

Cllr Karen Allison, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Tourism, Regeneration and High Street said: “Tourism continues to make a significant contribution to County Durham’s economy and communities, demonstrating the value of long-term investment, strong partnership working and high-quality visitor experiences. Tourism is not just important for visitors, it also benefits residents, supporting jobs, creating opportunities and fostering pride in our county.

With exciting developments still to come in 2026, including The Light in Durham City and Kynren’s new daytime attraction, there will be even more for residents and visitors to experience, helping County Durham continue to strengthen its profile on both the national and international stage.”

Durham County Council has commissioned the Durham Explorer to run on weekends and bank holidays between 23 May and 31 August this year.

Each service will connect Durham City to a range of visitor destinations including Locomotion; Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens; Beamish, The Living Museum of the North; The Auckland Project; Raby Castle, Park and Gardens; The Bowes Museum; and High Force Waterfall; with many venues also offering discounts to those who arrive by bus.

The services have been funded by the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority, to help make bus travel more affordable and attractive for both local people and visitors. The Mayor’s Fares will apply with a single adult journey costing just £2.50 and people aged 21 and under travelling for £1.

Cllr Karen Allison, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for leisure, high streets, tourism and regeneration, said: “We can’t wait to see these three new routes up and running, helping people to explore more of what our fabulous county has to offer. Whether it’s historic market towns, peaceful countryside or top visitor destinations, all can be easily accessed through these services.

“It’s a great option for residents looking for family days out and we also hope it will attract more visitors to the county, who will stay for longer to explore the area’s many attractions. This will no doubt help to supercharge our economy and encourage repeat visits to both County Durham and the wider north east.”

The new Durham Explorer buses which will be operated by Northstar are:

• The Durham Dales Explorer (873) which runs from Durham City to The Auckland Project; Raby Castle, Park and Gardens; Barnard Castle; The Bowes Museum and High Force Waterfall.
• The Time Traveller line (874) from Durham City to Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens; and Beamish, the Living Museum of the North.
• The Tracks Through Time line (875) from Durham City to Shildon and Locomotion.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said: “County Durham has so much to offer, from brilliant attractions to stunning countryside, and these new bus routes make it easier for people to enjoy great days out without needing to rely on a car.

“I’m delighted we at the strategic mayoral authority have been able to fund them, helping more families, residents and visitors explore what our region has to offer, support local tourism and enjoy simpler travel by bus.”

Bethany Jackson, head of audiences at Ushaw, said: “At Ushaw, we’re delighted to be part of the new The Time Traveller line bus route. Improving sustainable and accessible travel is incredibly important to us, and this new service creates more opportunities for local residents and visitors alike to discover everything our historic estate offers, including our house, chapels, gardens, exhibitions and vibrant events programme.

“We look forward to welcoming even more people to Ushaw this summer and to working alongside other fantastic attractions across County Durham to showcase the very best of our region.”

All buses have accessible access, with dogs also allowed on board.

An adult day ticket is also available in County Durham for £6, allowing unlimited bus travel, while passengers can also purchase a regionwide adult day ticket for bus and Metro travel for £7.50. A regionwide day ticket for young people costs £3.

Children under 11 can also travel without charge during the school holidays as part of the Kids Go Free initiative, offering travel at no cost for up to three children when accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket or a concessionary pass holder.

For more information, visit www.durham.gov.uk/CountyDurhamByBus.

For more information on discounts to regional attractions through the North East Combined Authority’s Days Out by Bus scheme.

Set to open this summer, The Light represents a major investment in creativity, culture and community. It will bring together art, history and science in exciting ways, providing a welcoming and engaging space where visitors will experience internationally significant exhibitions, created in partnership with leading national and global institutions. A Durham County Council venue, it will be a place for creativity and innovation to thrive, communities to gather, and artists to collaborate.

This week, the building, which was once home to the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) Museum and Durham Art Gallery, was handed back to the council, following its transformation into a multipurpose cultural space.

Over the last two years, construction firm Willmott Dixon has undertaken significant works to the original building, which has been stripped down to its basic structure and almost completely rebuilt. As a result, the venue is now capable of staging world class exhibitions.

Its links to military history, meanwhile, will be retained through a dedicated DLI gallery telling the story of the ‘Durhams’ through objects, documents and film footage from the DLI Collection.

Cllr Karen Allison, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for leisure, tourism, regeneration and high street, said: “It’s been fantastic to witness the transformation of this building into a venue that will not only provide enriching experiences for our residents, but will attract tens of thousands of visitors each year, strengthening the county’s tourism offer and boosting our economy.

“With construction now complete, we can begin to kit out the building’s interior. This will include establishing a permanent DLI gallery to help bring our region’s proud military history to new audiences.

“We will also be installing our first temporary exhibition, which will be the first of many showcasing world class creativity from the North East, the UK, and across the globe. Light art will play a prominent role, inspired by County Durham’s deep-rooted connection to light – from the creation of Bede’s lunar calendar 1,300 years ago and Joseph Swan’s pioneering lightbulb, to Durham University’s involvement in the James Webb Space Telescope. We are excited that we will be able to share more details about this landmark exhibition soon.”

More than just an exhibition space, The Light has also been designed to include facilities for hosting private events and conferences. A ground floor café, meanwhile, will provide a place for visitors and passers-by to stop for refreshments. Set within beautiful natural grounds, The Light also offers outdoor space for visitors to explore, play and enjoy, alongside quieter areas designed for reflection.

The Light’s location, at the heart of Aykley Heads, will also make the venue an anchor institution of Durham’s Innovation District. Acting as a meeting place and a creative hub, it will support the game-changing ambitions of the new district and play a key part in the sustainable growth of the site.

And, as a sister venue to The Story, which provides the permanent home to the DLI Collection, it will work alongside attractions across the county to support a visitor offer that celebrates County Durham’s heritage and highlights its ambition.

The Light will employ around 18 members of staff, along with opportunities throughout the year for placements, residence schemes, volunteering and fixed term paid employment.

Find out about career opportunities at The Light.

The event, which took place on Wednesday, 29 April, brought together ambassadors committed to sharing the Durham Story, in an exciting new ‘Team Durham’ approach to raising the county’s profile and appeal with key audiences for economic success.  

A key focus of the event was some of the exciting developments and projects taking place across the county, hearing first-hand from speakers who are leading them, and and sharing insight into their work and how collaboration is key to driving success across the county.  

Lisa Mullen, Interim Cluster Manager at Space North East England, opened the session by highlighting the region’s rapidly growing space sector. Based at NETPark, a leading science park based at Sedgefield, the initiative is bringing together businesses, academia and institutions to drive innovation and collaboration. Lisa’s presentation demonstrated how the county is playing a key role in the UK’s space ambitions, creating high-value jobs and positioning the region as a centre for cutting-edge research and development.  

Next, Michelle Gorman, Managing Director at Visit County Durham, shared insight into the strength and evolution of the county’s visitor economy. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Visit County Durham continues to lead on destination management and is recognised as one of the first Local Visitor Economy Partnerships accredited by VisitEngland. Her update highlighted the importance of partnership working, strong storytelling and strategic promotion, which has resulted in the value of the county’s visitor economy doubling since the inception of Visit County Durham in 2006.  

The final speaker, Anna Warnecke, Chief Executive Officer at 11Arches, inspired attendees with an update on the future of cultural attractions in Bishop Auckland. Having played a key role in the success of Kynren, Anna shared an update on Kynren: The Storied Lands, a bold and ambitious new day park set to be unlike anything else in the UK. Her presentation reinforced the role of culture-led regeneration and communities in transforming places and driving long-term economic impact.  

Shaun Hope, Principal & Chief Executive of Bishop Auckland college hosted the event and said: What really stands out from today’s meeting is the passion people have for the county. From space innovation at NETPark to world-class culture in Bishop Auckland, there’s so much happening here and when we come together as Durham Champions, we can amplify that story even further. It’s all about collaboration – working together for the prosperity of the place, which in turn will create further opportunities for our residents and young people, and build pride in the place they call home.” The Durham Champions programme places people at its heart, empowering stakeholders from across sectors to become advocates for the county. As the session closed, attendees were encouraged to continue spreading the word, using #OurDurhamStory on social channels, to help further build the county’s image, identity and reputation as a great place to live, work, invest, visit and study.  

The next Durham Champions meeting will take place in July, with further details to be announced soon.  

Register as a Durham Champion and sign up for the Durham Story e-newsletter.