Tourism campaign delivers spending boost

Pictured, from left to right, are Pam Porter, from Locomotion Museum; Richard Kaye, from Dalton Park; Duncan Peake, chair of Visit County Durham; Matt McWhinnie, from Dalton Park; Sanjay Gidda, from Ushaw: Historic House, Chapels & Gardens; Sally Pearson, from The Bowes Museum; Dennis Wood, from The Auckland Project; and Rhiannon Hiles, from Beamish Museum

A national tourism campaign has helped deliver an estimated 11 per cent increase in visitor spending in County Durham while encouraging more people to stay overnight and explore the county.

Next Stop Durham, Visit County Durham’s latest national destination marketing campaign, reached more than 18 million people between autumn 2025 and spring 2026 as it sought to raise the county’s profile as a UK break destination.

Independent evaluation found estimated visitor spend was 11 per cent higher than during the previous campaign.

Read more