Culture and Tourism
Our outstanding culture, environment and heritage make a huge contribution to the unique character and image of North East England. They underpin the region’s distinctive appeal for people, businesses and investors, and help to drive growth in the regional economy. Our culture and environment treasures are a key feature of the region’s attractiveness to tourists and they have an important role in the development of the creative and leisure industries.
The Culture and Tourism Programme contributes to many aspects of the Regional Economic Strategy. It is helping to realise the full potential of the tourism and creative industries. The passion of the region’s people for cultural activity is being harnessed to raise their involvement and achievements in the worlds of education and work.
The Programme is capitalising on the region’s distinctive environment in which to live, work and visit. It has two key activities:
Cultural and Creative Infrastructure
The creative industries are growing strongly, although more slowly than the national average. This presents a major opportunity for business and job growth.
Investment is being made to develop an even more distinctive and appealing environment. This will help attract and retain entrepreneurs, encourage outside businesses to locate here and contribute to our quality of life.
Regional Tourism Infrastructure
The tourism and hospitality sector is a key contributor to the regional economy, providing 7% of jobs. A big opportunity exists to increase the region’s national share of domestic and international visitors to this region. The amount they spend will also grow in line with targets in the Regional Tourism Strategy. This will drive business growth and improve the contribution the sector makes to the region’s economy.
The Tourism Workforce Development Plan will raise skill levels in the industry. This improvement in quality will lead to increased visitor satisfaction, encourage new and return visits, and bring further economic benefits for the region.
