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West Yorkshire 'a meaningless concept' to tourists

BBC Thousands of people wearing woolly hats standing in City Park in Bradford looking at two illuminated stages lit up with a big letter B in black surrounded by a yellow, green and pink background. BBC
The launch nights of Bradford's City of Culture are being heralded as the type of events which can bring tourists into the region

A lack of hotel rooms could hamper the growth of tourism in West Yorkshire despite Bradford's City of Culture year, a report has found.

The Local Visitor Economy Partnership unveiled its four-year tourism strategy in Leeds on Monday and highlighted a number of obstacles preventing the region attracting more visitors.

The number of hotels being taken over for government contracts and the "spread out" nature of attractions were cited as factors that could hold back growth in the sector.

The report also considered "opportunities" for developing tourism, including the Bradford 2025 events programme and the opening of the Brit School North in the city.

The red brick and white stone twin towers of a former Odeon Cinema in Bradford city centre with a piercing blue, winter sky behind the building.
Bradford Live has yet to open but is cited in the strategy as a way to build the conference industry in the city

The strategy named parts of West Yorkshire that could be promoted more effectively, including Haworth's Bronte links, Saltaire, the National Science and Media Museum and Bradford's curry culture.

The strategy also stated: "Some areas have low awareness among consumers, and perceptions are sometimes negative i.e. "northern and industrial".

"West Yorkshire is a relatively meaningless concept to consumers who tend to think of either Yorkshire or individual places or products like Holmfirth or Bradford, for example."

It referred to "limited hotel capacity" outside Leeds that had been exacerbated by "a number of hotels currently unavailable due to government contracts".

An outside shot of a large grey concrete and glass building with two towers either side of the main building
The National Science and Media Museum has just reopened after a £6m redesign and refurbishment

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the strategy sets out "how the region aims to build a better and more productive visitor economy, attracting more visitors and inward investment to drive growth, create jobs and help businesses thrive."

The conference sector and the future opening of the live music venue Bradford Live were cited as opportunities to attract more visitors.

The report added: "Bradford UK City of Culture 2025 represents a huge opportunity to raise our profile - regionally, nationally and internationally.

"There is also the exciting opportunity to learn from the experience and develop legacy events."

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