The Yorkshire Tourist Board has been guided to a £23 million bonanza.

The effect of the YTB's Holidays and Short Breaks Guide surpassed all expectations.

It was thought that the guide would generate perhaps £20 million, substantially up from the £16 million worth of spend it fostered in 1996.

But new research shows the publication directly whipped up a record £23 million in the Yorkshire region - and that the most popular destination was York.

The research also showed that the total value of bookings for accommodation providers was £15.4 million, up from £8.5 million in 1996.

The guide, launched in January 1997, was supported by a £100,000 media campaign. The number of requests for it was up by 30 per cent, triggering a further print run in June for the first time in the publication's history.

Other facts that emerged from the research:

* Average spend on individual holiday breaks in the region was £441.91.

* Average spending on accommodation was £230.39.

* As many as 41 per cent booked their break as a result of receiving the guide.

* Of those questioned, 56 per cent claimed the accommodation they stayed in was featured in the guide.

* As many as 54 per cent only holidayed in the UK.

* August was the most popular month for a visit; York the most popular destination; and 72 per cent had never visited Yorkshire before.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.