YORK Theatre Royal is to host a huge tourism conference following its £6million redevelopment.

The theatre will stage Welcome to Yorkshire’s annual Y17 conference, a high profile event intended to promote and celebrate Yorkshire as a place to visit.

Y17 will this year be themed “Yorkshire on Show”, with the audience hearing about new campaigns, initiatives and projects.

National sports presenter Rob Walker will compere the event, which will run like a live TV show.

The announcements are being kept under wraps but Welcome to Yorkshire has said to "expect some special guests and headline announcements."

Previous Y conferences have welcomed a range of famous faces, from Olympic cyclist Lizzie Deignan (Armitstead), Last Tango in Halifax star Dean Andrews, Leeds DJs Utah Saints to Paralympic superstar Hannah Cockroft .

The restoration of the theatre was completed in April 2016.

Matt Beevers, York Theatre Royal’s enterprises manager, said: “We are thrilled to have been chosen to host one of the most high profile tourism events in Yorkshire.

“After the theatre’s recent £6 million redevelopment, representatives from across the tourism industry will be able to enjoy our newly developed event space and award-winning Bistro 67 and we hope this will be the first of many more golden opportunities.”

Sir Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “Y17 promises to inspire and entertain and bring the great and good of Yorkshire tourism together to make things happen.”

The event will be held on Tuesday, March 21.

To register for a free place, visit http://www.yorkshire.com/y17