Join us for English Tourism Week 2012 from the 10 to 18 March and celebrate the benefits tourism brings to everyone, everywhere, every day in Northumberland!

Northumberland is now officially in the very top tier of England’s most loved destinations*, but we need your help to spread the word and help the county’s tourism industry grow and prosper.

2012 is a year packed full with iconic events including The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, The Torch Relay and the finale of the Cultural Olympiad. Our tourism industry is being offered the opportunity of a lifetime to showcase the quality and vibrancy of our visitor experiences and the value the industry brings to the county.

Tourism touches everyone – visitors, residents and employees. It’s our second largest employer, every day supporting 10,700 jobs and providing a significant source of employment for 2,200 people unable to work full-time. It’s a major employer of school leavers and young people and is an incubator for entrepreneurs. The visitor economy is worth £665 million a year to Northumberland, 11.8% of our total economy and supports thousands of businesses, seriously impacting on the performance of supplier industries including farming, transport, retailing, sport, museums and galleries, the theatre and other performing arts. Tourism cannot be off-shored – it only happens here!

With this in mind, and with the eyes of the world on England in 2012, let’s make sure local residents become your spokespeople. The ambassadors on your doorstep!

So how can you help?

Northumberland Tourism and Northumberland County Council will be running a campaign to raise awareness with local residents, to complement the national publicity campaign being run by VisitEngland. You can support this activity by organising your own event under the ETW12 campaign – and you’ll also raise the profile of your business.

 Perhaps you might host your own event, or provide a themed offer. There are lots of ideas on the VisitEngland website. Once you’ve decided how you’d like to be involved you can submit your events and promotions through VisitEngland’s online form.

Following on from English Tourism Week will be Northumberland’s annual Residents’ Festival on the 24th and 25th of March. This is your chance to get out in the county and update your knowledge about our attractions and to encourage your friends and family to do the same. Find out more about Residents’ Festival at www.northumberland.gov.uk.

*according to VisitEngland’s 2011 Visitor Satisfaction Survey.

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