TOURISM has arguably been the hardest hit industry due to the lockdowns and pandemic, however the industry is hopeful of finding ways to recover. County Durham has a thriving tourist economy, with sites like Durham Cathedral, Bishop Auckland’s Auckland Project and Knyren, and the Durham Dales of Weardale and Teesdale. The pandemic has decimated the county’s tourism sector and has emphasised just how important the visitor economy is. In 2019, more than 20 million visitors came to the county, contributing £955m to the local economy. By September 2020, the forecast was for a fall of 43.6 per cent in annual visits in 2020, equating to a loss of £434.63m, and an estimated reduction of 5,587 jobs.
TOURISM has arguably been the hardest hit industry due to the lockdowns and pandemic, however the industry is hopeful of finding ways to recover. County Durham has a thriving tourist economy, with sites like Durham Cathedral, Bishop Auckland’s Auckland Project and Kynren, and the Durham Dales of Weardale and Teesdale. The pandemic has decimated the county’s tourism sector and has emphasised just how important the visitor economy is. In 2019, more than 20 million visitors came to the county, contributing £955m to the local economy. By September 2020, the forecast was for a fall of 43.6 per cent in annual visits in 2020, equating to a loss of £434.63m, and an estimated reduction of 5,587 jobs.