Free, family-friendly sculpture trail returns to York in the new year.
A new band of guardians is set to take up residence across York this winter, as The Night Watchers of York returns for its second instalment from 30 January to 28 March 2027.
Organised by Make It York, the nine sculptures are inspired by the centuries-old stone carvings and grotesques of York Minster.
The free, family-friendly sculpture trail invites everyone to explore the city and discover the stories of a new collection of Night Watchers as they take up their posts across York.
Each Night Watcher has its own character, story to discover and place in the city, creating a fresh collection of characters to encounter throughout the trail.
Follow the trail during the day but don’t miss them after dark to discover a new side to these curious new guardians.
See a new side to the Night Watchers at nightfall
As daylight fades, York provides a very different backdrop for the Night Watchers – making an early evening expedition another way to explore the trail.
While the Night Watchers can be enjoyed throughout the day, visitors can experience the trail in a different way when daylight draws in.
The sculptures are outdoors and some Night Watchers feature light-reflective details or elements that become more noticeable in lower light, meaning visitors may discover something new depending on when they visit.
From nocturnal wildlife and folklore to light, colour and the hidden details that emerge after nightfall, each Night Watcher brings a different side of the night to life.
Sarah Loftus, Managing Director of Make It York, said: “We’re pleased to see the trail return, creating a free and accessible experience that gives everyone even more reasons to explore York.
We aim to bring engaging new ways to support York’s visitor economy during the winter months, encouraging visitors to discover the city’s heritage, attractions, food scene and shopping streets all over again.”
Plan your visit – key details:
The Night Watchers of York
Date: 30 January – 28 March 2027
What to expect: Free, family-friendly sculpture trail across York city centre
This February, the much-loved York Ice Trail returns for another unforgettable weekend, as Legends Unleashed takes over the city.
Over the weekend of 6 and 7 February 2027, the trail will bring legendary stories and characters to life through a spectacular collection of ice sculptures across York.
Inspired by history and folklore, each sculpture brings a new story to life, inviting you to discover more as you explore the city. Free and family-friendly, the trail is a fun way to see York.
The ice sculptures, curated by Make It York and partners, are created by Icebox, the UK and Europe’s leading ice sculpture specialist.
Trail maps will be available from 1 February 2027 online and from the Visit York Visitor Information Centre, where the team will be on hand to help visitors make the most of their York Ice Trail adventure.
Along the way, York’s cafés, restaurants, shops and attractions offer plenty of places to relax and warm up between sculptures.
Sarah Loftus, Managing Director of Make It York, said:“The York Ice Trail is always a special moment in the city’s winter calendar. It’s a brilliant opportunity for families, residents and visitors to explore York, discover incredible ice sculptures and enjoy a little winter magic along the way. This year’s legends theme and the new added experiences are set to make it extra special!”
The Watchers of York Final Gathering is a unique opportunity to view the twelve sculptures together at York Minster’s Chapter House from 3 to 13 September 2026.
Created by Make It York in collaboration with York Minster, the Watchers are inspired by the medieval stone carvings that have watched over the Minster for centuries.
Set among the Chapter House’s remarkable architecture, stained glass and centuries of craftsmanship, the Final Gathering provides a spectacular finale to the city-wide trail, bringing the sculptures and their stories together one last time.
The Final Gathering is the chance to capture the complete collection before bidding closes on 10 September 2026, with proceeds supporting charitable causes. There are ten sculptures to bid for at: visityork.org/watchers-auction
Make It York reveals the positive value of tourism in York with results reaffirming York’s position as a leading destination for both domestic and international travellers.
Tourism contributed an outstanding £2.08 billion to York’s economy in 2025 – a 3.6% increase from 2024 – with spending patterns showing:
32% of visitor spend went to York’s vibrant shops and retail offering,
27% was spent on the diverse food and drink scene,
27% supported the city’s accommodation sector,
11% went toward recreation and entertainment, and
3% was spent on transport and getting around the city.
This is made of domestic travellers injecting £1.50 billion into York’s economy, while overseas visitors alone accounted for over a quarter of the economic impact, bringing in £0.57 billion.
York welcomed an impressive 8.88 million visitors. This reflects the success of our ongoing efforts to attract, engage and inspire visitors. The visitor number is made of day visitors, reaching 7.01 million, and overnight visitors, where the economic impact of staying visitors has now exceeded pre-pandemic levels.
The number of staying visitors reached 1.87 million – an increase of 9% on 2024. All accommodation sectors have seen a growth in those staying compared with 2024, meaning an increase in economic impact. With an average length of stay at 3.1 nights across serviced accommodation and hotels, non-serviced accommodation, and staying with friends and family.
International travellers to York remain strong with overseas visitors making up 18% of the total visits. Of this, 47% of international visitors chose to stay overnight in York, with serviced accommodation being a firm popular choice accounting for 47%, with greater length of stay at 3.6 nights. This reinforces York’s breadth of quality accommodation on offer and highlights the importance of international visitors on the city’s local economy.
Beyond its economic benefits, tourism also enhances York’s profile as an exceptional place to live, work and do business. In 2025, 15.9K employees (FTEs) were supported directly and indirectly by tourism.
Sarah Loftus, Managing Director of Make It York, said:“The continued growth of York’s economy is a testament to the city’s enduring appeal and our collective efforts to deliver exceptional experiences. It shows the pivotal role our local businesses, tourism partners and city-wide stakeholders have played in welcoming visitors to the city. We will continue to work together to enrich the visitor experience for residents and visitors, ensuring York continues to shine as the world-class destination it is.”
Source: 2025 STEAM report by Global Tourism Solutions (UK) Ltd 2025.
Comparisons to 2024 are shown against historic spend figures and separately indexed to adjust for the effects of inflation by multiplying 2024 spend by 1.036.
About Make It York – Make It York’s purpose is to develop and promote the city and its surroundings, nationally and internationally, as a vibrant and attractive place to live, visit, study, work and do business. Its mission is to grow the economic prosperity and wider wellbeing of York and its citizens. In practice, this means delivering a range of projects and programmes based around our corporate strategic priorities. These are, city positioning and profile-raising, ensuring an exciting city centre, and delivering the city’s ground-breaking cultural strategy.
About Visit York– Visit York is a part of Make It York and is the leisure tourism brand. Under the brand Visit York, Make It York’s aim is to market York as a must-see world-class destination to the leisure and business visitor and ensure investment to develop the quality of tourism in York. Activity covers all aspects of tourism marketing and PR, including market intelligence, as well as providing business support through the membership programme. Visit York operate the Visit York Pass, York’s city-sightseeing card, and run the Visitor Information Centre.
Inspired by the carved grotesques high above us on York Minster, The Watchers of York are protective characters connected to different parts of the city’s story. Some watch over hidden corners, some over green spaces and waterways, while others keep an eye on the movement of people through York’s historic streets.
The arrival of the original stone guardian, named ‘The Watcher of York’, marks an important milestone for the inaugural city-wide sculpture trail launching in two weeks, from 29 June.
Each Watcher has its own personality and guardianship, reflected by the place where it stands. ‘The Watcher of York’ keeps close to York Minster. Some say the first Watcher has always been here, quietly watching from the shadow of York Minster. Carved from stone, it knows every story whispered beneath the Minster windows. While other guardians roam York’s streets and spaces, ‘The Watcher of York’ remains close to its ancient home, keeping watch over the city that inspired them all.
Together, the 12 sculptures will form an intimate trail across York, inviting residents and visitors to discover the city from a new perspective.
Inspired by York Minster’s medieval stone carvings
Launching from 29 June and running to 31 August 2026, The Watchers of York trail is being developed by Make It York in collaboration with York Minster.
The sculptures take inspiration directly from the remarkable carved grotesques of York Minster. Using detailed digital renders of historic stone figures, designers have developed four-foot-tall sculptures that feel both authentic and alive.
One of the original sources for the Watcher character is a medieval carving of a wyvern located on the South Quire of York Minster, dating from around 1400.
Rather than attempting a complete reconstruction of how the wyvern may once have appeared, the sculpture design carefully interprets what survives today, drawing on the visible stonework while respecting its historic origins.
This approach reflects the conservation philosophy used by York Minster’s stonemasonry team, where original carvings are repaired and consolidated wherever possible rather than replaced entirely. The original wyvern grotesque was recently cleaned and stabilised to help ensure its survival for another century and beyond.
The Watchers sculptures follow the same principle, bringing these ancient guardians back into view through respectful interpretation rather than reconstruction, allowing York’s medieval stone characters to watch over the city once again in a new form.
Rooted in heritage and brought to life through creativity, each sculpture is painted by a diverse mix of established artists, charities, community groups and art students. The result will be a distinctive and intimate public art experience celebrating York’s history, culture and creativity.
Meet the Watchers, their guardianship, discover the artists and creators behind the sculptures, and follow the latest trail updates at: visityork.org/watchers-trail
Visit York Tourism Award winners have achieved national recognition at the prestigious VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, following their success earlier this year at the Visit York Tourism Awards.
The annual awards celebrate the very best of England’s tourism industry, recognising businesses that demonstrate excellence in quality, innovation, customer service and visitor experience.
MonkBridge House wins the Gold Award for B&B and Guest House of the Year.
MonkBridge House is an independent family-run guest house overlooking the River Foss, located within a short distance of York city centre. It’s known for its warm hospitality and commitment to sustainable tourism.
Paul Hemsley owner of MonkBridge House said:
“We were delighted to be shortlisted for VisitEngland’s national award. We gave up corporate life in London six years ago to take over our business in York, and it’s the best move we could have made. York is one of the finest, most welcoming and historic cities in the UK and close to both the Dales, Moors national parks and the coast.
We are blessed with fantastic local produce to make breakfast and it is a delight to welcome new and returning guests from around the world. When refurbishing the property, we have embraced a green approach but in everything we do, our focus is on giving our guests the best possible experience.”
As well as its win for Small Serviced Accommodation Provider of the Year at the Visit York Tourism Awards, it also won the Regenerative Tourism Award. This latest accolade follows previous national success at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence in 2024, when the business won the silver award for B&B and Guest House of the Year.
The Wizard Walk of York wins the Silver Award for Experience of the Year.
The Wizard Walk of York combines magic, comedy and York’s rich history, the family-friendly walking tour has become one of the city’s most popular visitor experiences for families.
It has added another national accolade to its growing list of achievements, having now achieved success at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence for three consecutive years.
Owner Daniel Wood aka Phoenix the Red said:
“We are simply spellbound to be VisitEngland finalists once again. We’re a small family business with big ideas, and love bringing magic, wonder and laughter to the streets of our enchanting city.
The Wizard Walk welcomes wand-erers from all over the world, and we specialise in creating unforgettable family memories on a unique walking tour like no other. The world needs more magic, and that’s exactly what we offer and deliver!”
In addition to winning Experience of the Year, the walking tour also won the Independent Business of the Year at the Visit York Tourism Awards, as well as being named a finalist in two further categories.
Castle Howard wins the Silver Award for International Tourism Award.
Castle Howard is one of Britain’s most celebrated historic houses and gardens, situated just outside York in the Howardian Hills National Landscape in North Yorkshire.
Abbigail Ollive, Visitor Attraction Director at Castle Howard said:
“We are incredibly proud to be recognised at the VisitEngland Awards and to be named alongside some of the UK’s leading visitor attractions. A genuine Yorkshire welcome is central to the Castle Howard experience, and we place great importance on ensuring our international visitors feel valued from the moment they arrive.
Through initiatives ranging from cultural awareness training and bespoke guided tours to travel-inclusive ticket packages and tailored visitor services, our team is committed to delivering an outstanding and memorable experience for guests from across the globe.”
Alongside its International Tourism Award win at the Visit York Tourism Awards, its popular Christmas at Castle Howard won Event, Festival or Cultural Experience of the Year (a joint win with York Proms). The attraction was also highly commended in the Large Visitor Attraction of the Year category.
Sarah Loftus, Managing Director at Make It York, said:
“Congratulations to all three businesses on this fantastic national recognition! We’re delighted to celebrate with these members whose passion and commitment help make York such a vibrant and welcoming destination.
Their success reflects the exceptional quality that continues to strengthen York’s reputation as a world-class destination and and reinforces our city’s standing on the national and international stage.”
Celebrating excellence in York’s visitor economy
The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence ceremony took place on 3 June at Aerospace Bristol.
Now in their 36th year, the event brought together finalists from 21 local and regional competitions, all competing for Gold, Silver and Bronze awards across 16 core categories. These span the breadth of the visitor economy, from accommodation and attractions to accessibility and innovation, alongside special recognitions such as the Travel Content Award and Tourism Superstar Award.
Delivered as part of Visit York’s ongoing commitment to championing excellence across the city’s tourism sector, the Visit York Tourism Awards play a vital role in elevating local businesses to the national stage. By supporting and showcasing York’s leading visitor experiences, the awards programme helps strengthen the city’s reputation as a high-quality, world-class destination.
This national recognition for York’s businesses not only celebrates individual achievement but also reinforces the strength and diversity of the city’s wider visitor economy.
Further details on the Visit York Tourism Awards 2027, sponsored by LNER, including application dates and entry information, will be announced shortly.
Make It York is pleased to confirm a successful year of charitable fundraising, reinforcing its ongoing commitment to supporting local community initiatives across York and the surrounding region.
For the 2025/26 year, Make It York supported York Against Cancer, raising £4,252 through a programme of employee-led and community-driven fundraising activities.
Fundraising efforts included staff bake sales, raffles featuring donated products from local businesses, sweepstake takings for the UEFA Women’s EURO, and sponsored participation in the “R U Taking The P?” 5K run. A significant proportion of the total funds was generated at the Visit York Tourism Awards, where direct donations from attendees and guests on the night contributed more than half of the overall total raised.
These funds will support York Against Cancer’s continued delivery of vital services, including patient transport to St James’s Hospital in Leeds, respite breaks, mobile chemotherapy provision, tailored exercise classes, and ongoing cancer research at the University of York’s Jack Birch Unit.
Sarah Loftus, Managing Director of Make It York, said: “We are delighted to have raised so much for York Against Cancer and to have contributed to the invaluable work they do across our community. A huge thank you goes to all staff who took part in fundraising activities and to the guests at the Visit York Tourism Awards, whose donations made a significant difference to the total raised.”
Andy Knowles, CEO of York Against Cancer, said: “We’re genuinely grateful to Make It York and to every individual and business who supported their fundraising across 2025/26. The generosity shown, from staff-led events to donations on the night at the Visit York Tourism Awards and contacts made will make a real difference to people affected by cancer across York and YO postcodes. Thank you for choosing to stand with us. As Make It York begins its new partnership with Kyra Women’s Project, I’m sure it will be another positive year of collaboration, fundraising, and community impact.”
Commitment to community impact
Make It York continues to prioritise meaningful engagement with local charities, with fundraising initiatives driven by staff participation and community involvement. For this year, the organisation is pleased to announce that the chosen charity partner for 2026/27 will be Kyra Women’s Project.
Kyra Women’s Project is a York-based charity helping women create lasting positive change. It offers counselling, courses, workshops, and practical support, including employability training and legal advice. Through peer groups and tailored programmes, Kyra provides a safe, welcoming community where women build confidence, develop skills and reduce isolation.
Sarah Loftus said: “We are very much looking forward to building a strong relationship with Kyra Women’s Project over the coming year. We’ll be working closely to help in supporting the positive work they provide to women across York and strengthening its impact in the region.”
Maisie Wilson, Welcoming and Inclusion Officer at Kyra Women’s Project, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to have been chosen as Make It York’s charity partner for the year. Support like this makes a real, tangible difference to the lives of women in York who are facing complex challenges, from poor mental health to financial hardship and social isolation. The funds raised will directly support our work on the ground; helping women access counselling, build confidence, develop new skills, and feel part of a supportive community. We’re really looking forward to working together over the coming year!”
END
NOTES TO EDITORS
Press Release: 22 May 2026
About Make It York
Make It York’s purpose is to develop and promote the city and its surroundings – nationally and internationally – as a vibrant and attractive place to live, visit, study, work and do business. Its mission is to grow the economic prosperity and wider wellbeing of York and its citizens. In practice, this means delivering a range of projects and programmes based around our corporate strategic priorities. These are, city positioning and profile-raising, ensuring an exciting city centre, and delivering the city’s ground-breaking cultural strategy. MakeItYork.com
About York Against Cancer
York Against Cancer is an independent charity helping people in York, North and East Yorkshire affected by cancer. They provide a range of support services for cancer patients and their loved ones, including a free minibus that takes people from York to St. James’s Hospital in Leeds for radiotherapy appointments, free short breaks in two luxury respite properties for cancer patients and their loved ones to take time away, an award-winning mobile chemotherapy unit, free, tailored exercise classes for cancer patients and our cancer support centre, The Leveson Centre.
They also fund pioneering research at the Jack Birch Unit at the University of York, which has been internationally recognised for its groundbreaking research into bladder cancer. Since starting in 1987, the charity has raised over £20 million to support people in York and across the region. Their aims today are the same as they were when the charity was founded – to support as many people affected by cancer as possible. yorkagainstcancer.org.uk
About Kyra Women’s Project
Kyra Women’s Project is a York-based charity supporting women to make positive, lasting change in their lives. Through a wide-ranging programme of support, Kyra offers counselling, courses, workshops and community activities that address issues such as mental health, domestic abuse, confidence, emotional wellbeing and social isolation. Alongside this, Kyra provides practical support including employability training, legal advice, and food vouchers and more.
Kyra’s work is rooted in creating a safe, welcoming community where women can build confidence, develop skills, and connect with others. This includes a variety of peer support groups, such as LGBTQ+, neurodiversity, and young women’s groups, as well as the ROSE programme for women aged 18–25. The organisation supports hundreds of women each year through both structured programmes and informal drop-in spaces, offering holistic, person-centred support tailored to each individual. kyra.org.uk
Three finalists from the Visit York Tourism Awards 2026 have been shortlisted for the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.
Following the awards ceremony at York Racecourse on 12 March, three Visit York members have now been shortlisted as finalists in the prestigious VisitEngland Awards for Excellence:
The VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, now in their 36th year, celebrate the very best of England’s tourism industry. Taking place on 3 June at Aerospace Bristol, the event will bring together finalists from 21 local and regional competitions, all competing for Gold, Silver and Bronze awards across 16 core categories. These span the breadth of the visitor economy, from accommodation and attractions to accessibility and innovation, alongside special recognitions such as the Travel Content Award and Tourism Superstar Award.
Delivered as part of Visit York’s ongoing commitment to championing excellence across the city’s tourism sector, the Visit York Tourism Awards play a vital role in elevating local businesses to the national stage. By supporting and showcasing York’s leading visitor experiences, the awards programme helps strengthen the city’s reputation as a high-quality, world-class destination.
This national recognition for York’s businesses not only celebrates individual achievement but also reinforces the strength and diversity of the city’s wider visitor economy.
Visit York looks forward to supporting its members as they represent the city on the national stage and wishes all finalists the very best of luck in June.
The Visit York Tourism Conference 2026, sponsored by LNER, returned to York St John University on Tuesday 13 January. Organised by Make It York, the event explored York’s tourism priorities and opportunities with keynote speakers.
The Visit York Tourism Conference is a vital event for the city, serving as a platform to celebrate and strengthen York’s thriving tourism industry. It brings together local businesses, stakeholders and industry leaders to share insights, strategies, and innovations that drive economic growth and enhance the city’s reputation as a world-class destination.
By fostering collaboration and showcasing the latest trends, the conference ensures York remains competitive, attracts visitors year-round and sustains its position as a cornerstone of regional prosperity.
Sarah Loftus, Managing Director of Make It York, highlighted Make It York’s achievements for 2025 and gave a review of the organisation’s success over the past year, including its contribution to York’s 9.4 million visitors in 2024 [STEAM data].
The previous year’s success [since April 2025] saw Visit York’s social media content reach 15.8 million people, an increase of 8%, and the visityork.org website attain 3.2 million views by 1.1 million users.
York stands out as one of the few major UK cities to have kept its Visitor Information Centre open at a time when many have been forced to close due to financial pressures. The Centre continues to deliver exceptional support for residents and visitors, thanks to its knowledgeable team and more than 20 dedicated volunteers who ensure this valued service thrives.
Building on this momentum, Visit York delivered four bespoke marketing campaigns across the year, each generating an average of 1.6 million impressions. Alongside this were major events such as the York Ice Trail, which attracts visitors specifically for the experience, and the York Christmas Market, which continues to grow with 1.2 million visitors and 37% staying overnight – a welcome boost for the city’s accommodation sector.
The Shambles Market has seen a notable increase in visitor footfall and now ranks among the top five places to visit for both residents and visitors. Building on this success, Make It York has developed a Shambles Market Growth Strategy, which will be rolled out over the coming years.
York had a 22% increase in applications to film in the city in 2025, with an aim to build on the success in 2026. Watch York on screen in series including BBC’s ‘Michael Portillo’s 200 Years of the Railway’; Channel 5’s ‘Our Great Yorkshire Life’; and Channel 4’s ‘Patience’, ‘Top of the Stops’ and ‘Four In a Bed’. In addition to feature films including ‘Blueberry Inn’ with filming also taking place at Castle Howard.
Looking ahead, Visit York aims to broaden its audience through five marketing campaigns showcasing York as the UK’s most inspiring destination break. Highlighting everything from the city’s rich heritage, including chocolate and ghostly tales, to independent retail and attractions that can be discovered throughout the year.
Furthermore, Visit York continues to expand its international audience reach by attending trade and consumer events to highlight the city’s offerings by retaining strong partnerships and collaboration with North Yorkshire Council, North York Moors National Park, City Cruises, Castle Howard, York Minster, LNER and York Museums Trust to highlight the region. International travellers have returned with 1.3 million visitors generating an economic impact of £0.5 billion [STEAM data]. Visit York has over 556K followers on China’s platforms, including Weibo, WeChat and Little Red Book and are the leading city in England. York is noticed across the globe.
Building on the success of events, holding 12 major festivals last year, York is set to host an exciting array of events and initiatives to enhance visitor and resident experiences. York Residents’ Festival takes place over the weekend of 31 January and 1 February with a host of free entry to attractions and offers throughout the city, the popular York Ice Trail will see over 30 spectacular ice sculptures around the historic streets on 7-8 February, the 28th Visit York Tourism Awards takes place on 12 March showcasing York’s vibrant tourism industry, a new walking trail will be unveiled, and plans are already underway for the York Christmas Market.
On the back of the success of new events delivered last year, Make It York is planning to further develop the Seaside in the City event in August, which will offer family-themed activities. The Yorkshire Day Market will also return for four days in August, alongside support for WizardFest for a second year with the Wizard Night time Market at Shambles Market, and a spooky Halloween Night Time Market.
Sarah Loftus, Managing Director of Make It York, said: ”The Visit York Tourism Conference is a pivotal event that brings together York’s industry leaders and businesses, both small and big, to shape the future of York’s tourism sector. By fostering these collaboration and sharing insights, our conference plays a key role in promoting York as a top global destination. As the only self-financing DMO [Destination Marketing Organisation] in the country, it’s all thanks to our members, partners and stakeholders that we can continue to ensure the city’s continued success in a competitive tourism landscape.”
The keynote speaker, Tom Riordan CBE, the Government Envoy for the Northern Growth Corridor, spoke about “Accelerating Growth in the North”. Tom’s role involves working collaboratively across government departments, with mayors, local authorities and other external partners, with the aim of co-developing a plan to support growth, connectivity and investment across the North in line with key government priorities.
Katerina Rysova, Senior Insights Manager at VisitBritain highlighted the industry’s tourism insights and data. Reported consumer travel trends include a growing focus on sustainability, reflected in increased interest in off-season travel and low-impact transport options. Travellers are also seeking more personalised itineraries and tailored experiences, alongside trips designed to support mental wellbeing and overall wellness. Authenticity remains a key driver of travel decisions, including the continued rise of screen tourism (visiting film and television locations) as well as a desire for genuine human connection through high-quality interactions and engagement. At the same time, technology continues to play a central role, with more travellers using AI to plan trips, seek advice and optimise their itineraries.
The day’s presentations were followed by a panel discussion where Sarah Loftus and Katerina Rysova, were joined by Charlotte Watson, Chair of Indie York, and Cherie Federico, Director of Aesthetica. The session was chaired by Dr Brendan Paddison, Chair of the York Tourism Advisory Board, and explored key themes including the importance of collaboration.
These initiatives include Make It York working year-round with Indie York, which celebrated it’s 10th anniversary, explaining how it began as a way for small businesses to come together to showcase York’s independent offer and reinforce the message that the city is open. The Indie York map is available from the Visit York Visitor Information Centre.
The discussion then turned to future opportunities for York. Sarah emphasised that the city cannot rely on the assumption that people will simply come, York must actively promote itself. She stressed the importance of being innovative and standing out from competing cities, for example by promoting York as the most haunted city in England and maintaining the “open for business” message even when the river levels are high, to show that the city remains open and welcoming.
Cherie highlighted the need to better leverage York’s cultural capital, noting that culture and tourism are closely linked. She said that York’s UNESCO City of Media Arts designation plays a critical role in the city’s story, presenting York as an innovative and forward-thinking place where history sits alongside contemporary creativity.
Katerina referred to VisitBritain’s Starring campaign, which highlights film and television locations, describing it as one of the most successful and engaging campaigns, generating more than £200 million for the UK and reinforcing Cherie’s point about the importance of screen tourism.
Looking ahead to 2026, there is much to anticipate, including the Eggsplore York trail focusing on ceramic arts, which will draw visitors to independent businesses across the city; the UNESCO City of Media Arts EXPO showcasing York’s creative sector; the Aesthetica Film Festival which attracts thousands of visitors from around the world; and the 20th anniversary of the Aesthetica Art Prize. Sarah concluded by reiterating the importance of continuously promoting York and keeping it firmly positioned as a top, must-see destination.
Closing remarks were delivered by Mark Mattinson, Chair of the Make It York Members’ Advisory Board and General Manager of York Dungeon. Mark also noted that the day’s speakers consistently emphasised the importance of collaboration, not only within the city but also with regional partners, including North Yorkshire and Leeds.
Mark reflected on the evolution of tourism in York, using York Dungeon’s 40th anniversary as a lens through which to consider how the visitor experience has changed since 1986. He highlighted how tourism in the city has transformed over that period and outlined the collective actions needed to safeguard its future, including stronger collaboration and partnership working to nurture the city, as well as continued engagement with initiatives such as the York Members’ Advisory Board and Qa Research barometers to ensure York remains accessible, inclusive and welcoming to visitors.
England’s Historic Cities (EHC) have unveiled a brand-new edition of the England Originals Travel Trade Guide.
EHC represents a consortium of 12 of England’s most iconic destinations – Bath, Cambridge, Canterbury, Carlisle, Chester, Durham, Greenwich, Lancaster, Oxford, Salisbury, Stratford-upon-Avon, and York.
This new resource was developed following growing demand from the travel trade, and is designed to inspire and support tour operators, wholesalers, and travel agents in creating engaging multi-city itineraries across England. This latest edition has been expanded by almost 40%, featuring over 40 new trade-ready products. The guide showcases a rich collection of attractions, activities, guided experiences, and accommodation providers, offering international visitors deeper access to England’s living history and cultural heritage.
York’s presence within the newly expanded England Originals Travel Trade Guide reinforces its visibility among international tour operators and travel agents, supporting efforts to drive growth in overseas group and touring markets. By spotlighting bookable experiences and itineraries designed for the travel trade, the guide opens up new pathways for Visit York members to be included in multi-destination programmes, generate group business, and forge stronger connections with global trade partners as future itineraries are developed.
Sarah Loftus, Managing Director of Make It York, said: “We’re proud to be included in the latest edition of the England Originals Travel Trade Guide. Collaborating with England’s Historic Cities enables York to feature within inspiring multi-city journeys that appeal to international audiences, while further strengthening the city’s position as a world-class destination on the global stage.”
Florence Wallace, Head of Travel Trade at VisitWiltshire and EHC lead for trade engagement, said, “We’re delighted to launch this expanded resource for the travel trade, helping support product development and promote new bookable programmes. Our partnerships with international intermediaries continue to grow, particularly in North America, where multi-city touring remains a strong focus for travel planners.”
Melanie Sensicle, Chair of England’s Historic Cities, added, “This guide is a cornerstone of our travel trade strategy and an invaluable tool to showcase our remarkable cities. England Originals remains a leading brand for international trade engagement and a testament to more than a decade of collaboration between destinations that have so much to offer to the international and domestic visitor.”
The England Originals Travel Trade Guide provides detailed information for 164 tourism businesses, including trade rates, group sizes, parking facilities, and direct trade contacts. It also includes destination profiles, travel information, and access to an extensive image library, making it an essential tool for intermediaries creating bespoke English itineraries for 2026 and beyond.
Issued by VisitWiltshire on behalf of England’s Heritage Cities. For further information, images or to arrange a press visit or meeting please contact Florence Wallace, Head of Travel Trade, flowallace@visitwiltshire.co.uk Tel: 07436 588860.
About England’s Heritage Cities
England’s Heritage Cities is a partnership of destinations brought together by common product and interests. Its purpose is to exchange knowledge, find solutions to shared challenges, benchmark performance, raise the profile of England’s heritage product and facilitate joint activity, all with the intention of maximising the potential of the cities’ visitor economies. Its geographical footprint spans the length and breadth of England and membership comprises 13 of the country’s premiere heritage locations: Bath, Canterbury, Cambridge, Chester, Carlisle, Durham, Greenwich, Lancaster, Lincoln, Oxford, Salisbury, Stratford and York. heritagecities.com
About Visit York
Visit York is a part of Make It York and is the leisure tourism brand. Under the brand Visit York, Make It York’s aim is to market York as a must-see world-class destination to the leisure and business visitor and ensure investment to develop the quality of tourism in York. Activity covers all aspects of tourism marketing and PR, including market intelligence, as well as providing business support through the membership programme. Visit York operate the Visit York Pass, York’s city-sightseeing card, and run the Visitor Information Centre. VisitYork.org
About Make It York
Make It York’s purpose is to develop and promote the city and its surroundings – nationally and internationally – as a vibrant and attractive place to live, visit, study, work and do business. Its mission is to grow the economic prosperity and wider wellbeing of York and its citizens. In practice, this means delivering a range of projects and programmes based around our corporate strategic priorities. These are: City positioning and profile-raising; Ensuring an exciting city centre; Delivering the city’s ground-breaking Cultural Strategy. MakeItYork.com
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