More tourists visiting York (From York Press)

More tourists visiting York

8:57am Monday 30th August 2010 in News By Dan Bean, dan.bean@thepress.co.uk

ATTRACTIONS across York were bracing themselves for a bustling Bank Holiday Monday today after new figures showed more people were visiting the region this year than in 2009.

Figures released earlier this year showed that more than seven million people visited York in 2008/2009, and new figures from Visit York showed an increase in hotel room occupancy and profit so far in 2010.

Although weather forecasters predicted a mixed bag for the Bank Holiday, tourism bosses are confident that visitors would flock to the city whatever the weather.

Chris Morton, manager of the Visit York Information Centre, said he was confident of a successful weekend.

“Visitors are booking mainly from the UK but we also have bookings from Germany, Italy, Spain and France,” he said. “We’re confident we will have a very successful Bank Holiday and hope the suns shines for our visitors.”

Visits to the Yorkshire Museum were three times higher than last year, since it opened on Yorkshire Day, August 1, following a £2 million refurbishment.

“We’re delighted with the response to the new-look Yorkshire Museum and have had great feedback from visitors,” said Mike Woodward, commercial director of the museum.

Hotel room occupancy has also increased by about three per cent in the first seven months of 2010 77 per cent of rooms were occupied between January and July, with Hotel Noir, the Royal York and the Grange in particular showing notable increases in room occupancy since last year.

It is also slightly cheaper to stay in York this year, with average room rates this year standing at £76.69, 16p lower than the same period last year.

“January and February were difficult months due to the bad weather and snow, so excluding those months and looking at March to July, visitor numbers to attractions are up two per cent on March to July 2009,” said Mr Morton.

Visitor figures

York Dungeon visitor numbers have increased by 22 per cent on last year – 89,477.

Clifford’s Tower has seen 18 per cent more visitors so far this year – 71,070.

Castle Museum had eight per cent more visitors than same period last year – 167,291.

Jorvik is up two per cent to 194,406.

York Minster also up two per cent to 262,894.