Welcome to Yorkshire

Welcome to Yorkshire's official logo

Sutton Bank, North York Moors National Park

Sir Gary Verity, chief executive of WTY, promoting the Yorkshire leg of the 2014 Tour de France at the 2014 Paris–Roubaix

Welcome to Yorkshire (WTY) is the official tourism agency for the traditional county of Yorkshire, the UK's largest county, promoting Yorkshire tourism both nationally and internationally. It was formerly known as the Yorkshire Tourist Board until 2009, but underwent a rebranding: a new Welcome to Yorkshire brand, a new website,^[1] the launching of various new marketing campaigns and a move to the present site in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The stated aim of the organisation is: 'to grow the county’s visitor economy'.^[2] The current Chief Executive is Sir Gary Verity.

Activities

Following the 2009 rebranding, Welcome to Yorkshire has become involved in a range of new campaigns and initiatives. Aside from the more traditional forms of tourism marketing usually associated with tourist boards, Welcome to Yorkshire has been involved in cultural partnerships such as the Yorkshire entries to the Chelsea Flower Show,^[3] The Railway Children tour,^[4] the Hockney tour^[5] and the Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle; the largest initiative of its kind in Europe.^[6] They are also an official partner of Yorkshire County Cricket Club,^[7] sponsoring the team's Twenty20 tour of South Africa in 2012.^[8]

Welcome to Yorkshire spearheaded the campaign to host the 2014 Grand Depart of the Tour de France in the county,^[9] to showcase the natural beauty of the region as well as its ability to stage world class events. On 14 December 2012 when Yorkshire was confirmed as the starting place for the historic cycle race.^[10]

A key component of the WTY brand is its website, which serves both as a base for the various campaigns and promotions launched by the organisation and as a database for tourism across the county. It is one of the UK's most visited tourism websites.^[11]

White Rose Awards

WTY also host the annual White Rose Awards; to recognise excellence in the field of tourism. The awards have been held every year since 1989 in various locations throughout Yorkshire, including Leeds United's Centenary Pavilion, Doncaster Racecourse, Bridlington Spa and the Harrogate International Conference Centre. The ceremony is the largest of its kind in the UK, with over 1000 guests. The awards recognise a wide range of achievement in tourism provision, such as best large and small hotels, pubs, restaurants, camping and caravan sites and cultural events. The honours are awarded by an independent panel of judges.

Honours

Welcome to Yorkshire has received international recognition for its work; it received a prize for World's Leading Marketing Campaign in 2010,^[12] 2011^[13] and 2012.^[14] In 2010, WTY received an award for Europe's Leading Marketing Campaign.^[15] In all of these years WTY was also nominated for the title of World's Leading Tourist Board.^[16]

WTY have also had individual campaigns praised, receiving Gold, Silver, Silver-gilt and People's Choice awards for their work at the Chelsea Flower Show^[17] as well as an award for Leading European Marketing Innovation in 2012.^[18] Welcome to Yorkshire made Chelsea history in 2013 by becoming the first entrants to win four People's Choice Awards in a row with their artisan garden 'Le Jardin de Yorkshire', which celebrated the county's hosting of the 2014 Grand Depart of the Tour de France with a Yorkshire Dales themed entry.^[19]

References

1. Cook, Tim. "Welcome to Yorkshire business tourism drive". Harrogate News. Harrogate News. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
2. White Rose Awards. "Yorkshire Awards its Tourism Stars - 4th October 2010". White Rose Awards 2010. White Rose Awards. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
3. RHS Chelsea Flower Show. "The Brontës' Yorkshire Garden". RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2012. RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
4. Hutchinson, Charles. "The Railway Children, Welcome To Yorkshire Theatre, London until September 5". The York Press. The York Press. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
5. "Hockney art trail across Yorkshire". BBC News Online. BBC News Online. 10 December 2011. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
6. Sykes, Alan (14 January 2013). "Yorkshire seeks to become sculpture capital of Europe". The Guardian. London: Guardian Online. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
7. YCCC. "Welcome to Yorkshire". Official Partners. YCCC. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
8. YCCC. "CLt20: Welcome to Yorkshire sponsor CLt20 campaign". YCCC News. YCCC. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
9. "Tour de France: 'Thousands back' Yorkshire's 2016 bid". BBC News Online. BBC News Online. 22 July 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
10. Fotheringham, William (14 December 2012). "Yorkshire to host the start of 2014 Tour de France". The Guardian. London: Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
11. Cook, Tim. "Welcome to Yorkshire business tourism drive". Harrogate News. Harrogate News. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
12. "World Travel Awards". Europe's Leading Marketing Campaign 2010. World Travel Awards. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
13. "World Travel Awards". World's Leading Marketing Campaign 2011. World Travel Awards. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
14. "World Travel Awards". World Travel Awards 2012. World Travel Awards. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
15. "World Travel Awards". Europe's leading Marketing Campaign 2010. World Travel Awards. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
16. "Welcome to Yorkshire". Winner Profile. World Travel Awards. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
17. "Bronte-inspired garden wins Chelsea Flower Show gold". BBC News Online. BBC News Online. 22 May 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
18. World Travel Awards. "Europe's Award for Marketing Innovation 2012". World Travel Awards 2012. World Travel Awards. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
19. Braddy, Adrian (28 May 2013). "Four in a row for Yorkshire at Chelsea Flower Show". The Dalesman. Retrieved 13 June 2013.

External links

• Welcome to Yorkshire