HOTEL and guest house owners are ready to face the truth in York.

They will be able to learn from the advice and anecdotes of Ruth Watson, the TV personality famous for her acid and often painfully true, assessment of hotels and guest houses in Five's The Hotel Inspector.

She will be guest speaker at this year's Yorkshire Tourism Conference organised by the Yorkshire Tourist Board at York Racecourse, on Thursday, February 1.

She will be joining other speakers such as Judith Donovan, chairman of Yorkshire Tourist Board, Don Stewart, executive director of strategy at Yorkshire Forward, Jeremy Aspinall, managing partner at Smarter Communications, and Joanna Royle, marketing director of Yorkshire Tourist Board.

Also speaking will be Simon Mills, manager of VisitBritain for Italy and Greece, David Andrew, the chief executive of Yorkshire Tourist Board, and Kurt Janson, policy director for the Tourism Alliance.

But a highlight of the conference will be a presentation by Viraf Sarkari, the International Indian Film Academy director.

Anyone interested in attending should phone Alison Ruddick on 01904 773333.