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.
Things to look forward to in County Durham after lockdown (Photo: Pixabay)
IT feels like a lifetime since we could head to the shops without a mask and a bottle of hand sanitizer. While the pandemic is far from over, vaccinations are now being rolled out which health secretary Matt Hancock has described as “the light at the end of the tunnel” and people are starting to dream of life after lockdown. To keep your spirits up, here are some things you can look forward to when lockdown ends:
Having a few pints at the pub After some challenging weeks stuck in the house and home schooling the kids, I bet a lot of people are missing the pub right now.