Tourism body Welcome to Yorkshire has defended the impact of the 2014 Tour De France Grand Depart, which ended in Harrogate, after MPs were told this week that the event had no lasting impact on Yorkshire tourism.
At an MPs select committee on Tuesday, Caroline Cooper Charles, chief executive of Screen Yorkshire, which champions the film and TV industry in Yorkshire, gave evidence about promoting the UK as a tourist destination.
Asked by Labour MP Clive Efford if the Grand Depart had a lasting impact on tourism in the county, she replied:
“In all honesty, I don’t think it did.
“It certainly put the spotlight on Yorkshire and people came to see the race. Probably for a short amount of time hotels were booked up and restaurants were full. In terms of long term impact no, I wouldn’t say so.”
‘Immense international hit’
Welcome to Yorkshire played a major role in bringing the event to Yorkshire.
An estimated 300,000 people lined the streets in places including Ripon, Masham and Harrogate to watch the race.
A WTY spokesperson told the Stray Ferret the Grand Depart was an “immense international hit” that helped to put Yorkshire on a global stage and “showcase its beauty to the world”.
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Legacy
The spokesperson claimed the Grand Depart attracted 4 million roadside spectators and the race was watched in 188 countries with £330m worth of media coverage.
They said tweets about the race reached 230 million people and the Tour de France Grand Départ in Yorkshire trended worldwide.
The spokesperson said key to the legacy of the Grand Depart was the annual Tour de Yorkshire races from 2015 to 2019.
They added:
“The Tour de Yorkshire has also been of huge economic benefit to the county and the tourism industry, further boosting the county’s economy and promoting spectacular Yorkshire across the globe.
“Benefits for the county during the Tour de Yorkshires have included record-breaking figures of 107.5m Twitter reach (2016), 2.6 million spectators along the route and a £98m economic impact (2018), plus a TV audience of 28 million in 190 countries (2019).
“This world-class cycling event is also so much more than a bike race – it’s about the crowds, the community engagement and that amazing Yorkshire welcome, plus it’s proved to be the perfect opportunity, year upon year, to let the world see Yorkshire’s spectacular countryside, stunning coastline, vibrant cities, pretty towns and villages, as well as its world-renowned history and heritage locations.”