Tourism contributed £2.01bn to York’s economy last year, latest figures have revealed.
The total is a 5.4% increase on the previous year, according to Make It York, the City of York Council owned tourism company that has published the figures.
Overseas visitors accounted for a quarter of the total generated by tourism in 2024 and the number of visitors who stayed in the city reached 1.7 million, with the average stay of 3.3 nights up on the previous year.
A third of visitors’ spending went on shopping, more than a quarter went on food and drink and a similar proportion involved accommodation.
Almost 17,000 people in York work in tourism, up by 4.8% on the previous year.
‘These results reflect the incredible work of our local businesses and partners in making York a truly world-class destination,’ said Make It York managing director Sarah Loftus.
‘The continued growth of our visitor numbers and economy is a testament to the city’s enduring appeal and our collective efforts to deliver exceptional experiences', she added.
Earlier this month, the South Yorkshire Local Visitor Economy Partnership revealed that tourism brought in £3.7bn to the region’s economy last year.
An estimated 36.3 million tourism visits were made to South Yorkshire in 2024, found the partnership, which includes Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, City of Doncaster Council, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Sheffield City Council and South Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority.
