A CAMPAIGN aimed at stimulating the domestic visitor market brought an additional £7.2 million to York’s economy according to research.

Figures published this week by VisitEngland have revealed the York Wrapped Up campaign, which ran from November 2012 to March this year, not only created the extra spend, but contributed towards an estimated 136 new jobs.

The York Wrapped Up marketing and PR campaign was funded by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund as part of a nationwide Growing Tourism Locally programme, led by national tourist board VisitEngland.

York Wrapped Up, sponsored by East Coast Trains, invited UK tourists to immerse themselves in the city, wrap up warm and explore the sights and sounds of York.

Throughout the promotions York was featured on 3D screens in Covent Garden; on six sheet advertisements at Paddington, Euston and Victoria stations; in national newspapers, as well as online through digital advertising.

Kate McMullen, head of Visit York, said: “This new VisitEngland report shows encouraging results for York Wrapped U’.

“Our winter campaign was aimed at generating visits domestically, hence our high visibility in the capital and in the national press.

“We were also delighted to see visits to York by train increase to more than 30 per cent, as a result of working with East Coast Trains.

“York has benefited greatly thanks to increased spend and job creation and we’re now planning our new activity for 2014, which will be launched in January.”

Of the 966 visitors surveyed by VisitEngland, of which 362 took a trip to York, 53 per cent said the campaign made them more likely to consider York for a holiday, short break or day trip.

A total of 31 per cent of those who visited York during this period chose to come to the city above other UK destinations with more than a third saying that they visited more places in and around the city than they originally planned to as a result of the campaign.