TOURISM operators across the city and beyond are being urged to back a new campaign to highlight what sets York apart from other destinations.
Experiences which are unique to York will be heavily promoted on social media and Twitter with the hashtag #OnlyinYork to showcase what makes the city and surrounding area so special.
The new drive has been launched to coincide with English Tourism Week and comes just days after York was named Best Place to Live in The Sunday Times because of factors including its cultural offering and community.
The Only in York campaign by tourism agency Visit York will run year-round to highlight all the experiences visitors can only get by coming to the city.
The city's pulling power is diverse, from offering ghost tours in Europe’s most haunted city and travelling back in time to the age of the Vikings at Jorvik, to cracking the code in a 1960’s cold war bunker.
Europe’s first pop-up Shakespearean theatre, which will run for ten weeks in the summer, is adding something fresh to the mix this year along with York Mediale, a brand new international digital arts festival.
Visit York is now calling on all tourism businesses in the city and beyond to get behind the drive, highlighting what makes their business unique.
Sally Greenaway, head of Visit York, said: “We’re not only competing with other UK destinations, but also with the low cost airlines and holiday package companies.
“It’s more important than ever that we stand out from other cities and make sure we tell our visitors just why York is so special. This new campaign will gather pace in the year ahead as all of York’s tourism businesses join together to amplify our #onlyinyork message across social media and online. Our website will be jam-packed with ideas too for the very best holiday experience.”
The campaign promises more than 100 reasons to choose York as a holiday destination this year, from York Minster’s Great East Window - the largest expanse of stained glass in the UK - revealed in all its glory, to the latest Jurassic World exhibition at the Yorkshire Museum and a new display at York Castle Museum, showing Vivienne Westwood shoes.
A new travel blogger campaign will also see social influencers visiting York during the year to write and blog about the city’s events, festivals and attractions.
Visitors to the York Easter Family Festival will also be able to pose with an ‘Only in York’ sculpture inside the panto marquee in Parliament Street and share their images on social media.
The Only in York campaign is being launched in the same week that York tour guide, Mad Alice, aka, Alicia Stabler, will find out if she has won the national Tourism Superstar Awards, run by VisitEngland.
Visit York’s top thirty #OnlyinYork experiences for 2018
1. Marvel at the largest expanse of stained glass in the UK. York Minster’s Great East Window has been revealed in all its glory. #onlyinyork
The Great East Window of York Minster behind the daffodils and the Bar Walls. Picture: Anna Gowthorpe.
2. See the streets of York transformed into a moving stage during these ancient York Mystery Plays on Wagons. #onlyinyork
3. Join the Great York Ghost Search in the most haunted city in Europe. #onlyinyork
4. Meet the film-makers at the BAFTA-acclaimed Aesthetica Short Film Festival. #onlyinyork
5. Grow a beard and enter the Best Beard Competition during February’s annual JORVIK Viking Festival. #onlyinyork
Viking Festival, left, Fjarn Sven (David Marsay) and Njal Siggurdsson (Neil Shepherd ) start with some beard pulling before they do battle Picture: Frank Dwyer.
6. Walk the longest medieval town walls in England. #onlyinyork
7. Keep cool at the largest outdoor Ice Trail in the UK, over 40 sculptures will adorn York’s streets. #onlyinyork
8. Where else can you find the shortest street with the longest name? Whip-ma-whop-ma gate? #onlyinyork
9. At Treasurer’s House get in the spirit! Visit the cellars haunted by the legendary Roman ghosts in Europe’s most haunted city. #onlyinyork
Picture: Frank Dwyer
10. Sweet toothed? Visit the place where the world’s most famous names in chocolate began - York’s Chocolate Story. See if you can spot Shackleton’s cocoa tin, all the way from the Antarctic. #onlyinyork
Picture: Frank Dwyer
11. Travel back in time at JORVIK and immerse yourself in Viking York. Meet the Vikings of York and listen to their Norse sagas. #onlyinyork
12. Find your favourite dinosaur at the new Jurassic World exhibition at the Yorkshire Museum. #onlyinyork
A Sauropod and Plesiosaur, which will feature in Yorkshire's Jurassic World at the Yorkshire Museum, created by Bright White.
13. Crack the code at this 1960’s Cold War Bunker, built underneath a housing estate. #onlyinyork
York Cold War Bunker Picture: Frank Dwyer
14. Go potty for ceramics at CoCA, the celebrated Centre of Ceramic Art, York Art Gallery and discover the controversial nude paintings by York born William Etty. #onlyinyork
15. Love shoes? Hot foot it to York Castle Museum this summer for the all new personal collection of Vivienne Westwood Shoes. #onlyinyork
16. Find the only Halifax WWII Bomber in Europe at the Yorkshire Air Museum. Book an exclusive limited tour, by prior arrangement. #onlyinyork
The Halifax Bomber at the Yorkshire Air Museum Picture: Richard Doughty
17. Get up close to the world’s fastest steam locomotive, Mallard, at the world’s largest Railway Museum. #onlyinyork
18. Feeling flush? Book a helicopter transfer from The Grand Hotel & Spa, Yorkshire’s only 5 star Hotel. #onlyinyork
19. Relax and dine at Grays Court, this 15th century hotel has entertained kings and is the only hotel we know that has direct access to medieval city walls. #onlyinyork
20. Taste Visit England’s Best Afternoon Tea, onboard a dining car at The Countess of York at the National Railway Museum. #onlyinyork
21. Stroll along Shambles, the oldest shopping street in Europe and an inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter series. #onlyinyork
22. Hunt out the Tansy beetle in the Museum Gardens, a rare beetle found munching on the tansy leaves. The perfect spot for a picnic too. #onlyinyork
23. Dare to join the Bloody Tour of York with Mad Alice, finalist in the VisitEngland Tourism Superstar awards. #onlyinyork
24. Place your bets at York Racecourse from May to October. The Group 1 Juddmonte International is ranked number one of all thoroughbred horse races across the globe. #onlyinyork
York Racecourse Picture: Frank Dwyer
25. To be or not to be?… this summer reserve your seats at the first pop-up Shakespearean theatre in Europe – Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre. Immerse yourself in four classics over the ten week show. #onlyinyork
An artist's impression of the replica Rose Theatre in York
26. Book tickets for the hottest show in town. York Mediale is a celebration of York’s UNESCO City of Media Arts status. #onlyinyyork
27. Love flowers and gardens? Let it Bloom! – Explore York’s hidden gardens and secret spaces and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the oldest Florists’ Society in the World. #onlyinyork
28. Home to over 120 premium, designer and luxury brands offering year round savings of up to 60% off RRP, McArthurGlen Designer Outlet York offers a truly unique shopping experience all under one roof. #onlyinyork
29. Celebrate Britain’s longest Christmas Festival throughout November and December and see the Winter Lights. #onlyinyork
30. Shop till you drop with over 200 independent retailers dotted along the narrow snickleways and ginnels. #onlyinyork
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel