Tourism chiefs go to new heights to bring more conferences to Yorkshire
An unusual abseil off the stands at York Racecourse has launched a new campaign
to increase business tourism in Yorkshire.Yorkshire Tourist Board (YTB) is spearheading a drive to affirm the region’s
status as a world-class meetings and incentives destination, building on work
already done to highlight the unusual venues in Yorkshire and focusing on the
weird and wonderful team building activities on offer in the region as a key element
of the campaign.
And to kick off, YTB showed delegates at Venturefest, one of the UK’s leading
conferences for entrepreneurs, a more unusual way of bringing their meeting agenda
to life by suspending themselves 25 foot in the air before abseiling down from
the stand, usually reserved for racegoers watching the horses, at one of Yorkshire’s
most popular conference venues.
YTB’s business tourism manager Nick Bond, representing venueyorkshire.com, explains:
“The juxtaposition of such a quirky activity off the stands of York Racecourse,
one of our most prestigious conference venues, really demonstrates the diversity
of our business tourism offering in Yorkshire.
“Business tourism brings around £500 million to the region each year; a huge
benefit to Yorkshire’s economy. This new campaign is designed to help us compete
against destinations across the globe and will highlight exciting venues and out
of the ordinary incentive activities in Yorkshire.
“A unique combination of venues and activities can draw the best out of conference
delegates and we believe Yorkshire’s got something really special to offer if
organisers want to round off a corporate meeting agenda with a team building event.
It’s a chance for us to bring to life the innovative business tourism offering
here, and show people why Yorkshire is the ideal choice – its ease of access by
road, rail or air, its outstanding quality of service and catering, the huge choice
of venues and the opportunity to reward delegates by offering inspiring activities
that will really capture people’s imagination.”
Chris Wilson from Venturefest adds: “Abseiling is something you normally do off
a rock or down a climbing wall in an indoor centre, not off the stands of a world-famous
racecourse! Our conference was all about innovation so we were thrilled to be
involved in the unusual abseil. We’ve certainly been convinced of the quirky things
you can do at a conference in Yorkshire.”
A few of the other opportunities for innovative team building opportunities in
Yorkshire’s conference venues include:
- going down the mines of the National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield
- swinging from tree to tree at Go Ape! in Dalby Forest
- bungee jumping at the Magna Science Adventure Centre
- creating a television program with state of the art studio and production equipment
- learning the art of fly fishing in the Yorkshire Dales.
To find out more visit www.venueyorkshire.com.
For expert advice on holding your conference in the region, contact Nick Bond,
Yorkshire Tourist Board’s Business Tourism Manager, on 01904 773 337.
