Yorkshire and Humber plc 2013 - (Page 12)

Key facts LEP AREA: 10,718 SQ KM York and North Yorkshire Not just a pretty face Stunning countryside and historic attractions draw millions of visitors a year to York and North Yorkshire, with the tourism pound underpinning the local economy. The York, North Yorkshire and East Riding local enterprise partnership (LEP) says the visitor economy is an important economic driver, worth £2.1bn and employing 71,000 people. It wants to work with existing visitor agencies to improve the overall quality of the region’s offer. The goal is to encourage visitors to stay longer and spend more And it’s not all rolling moors, real ale and tea shops. The number one issue, according to Barry Dodd, chairman of the LEP is , supporting businesses to access finance, create jobs and prosper. York’s ‘pitch’ to would-be inward investors is based around the city’s reinvention from a railway and chocolate manufacturing city into an internationally minded, innovative hub for science and technology. Harrogate continues to attract business as a conference destination, and like many other towns in the region, it is campaigning hard to improve public transport infrastructure. POPULATION: 1.14 MILLION ECONOMY: £16.8BN (2010) JOBS: 456,000 JOBS (87,000 SELF-EMPLOYED) AVERAGE WAGE: £490 PER WEEK BUSINESSES: 48,500 (70% MICRO-BUSINESSES) KEY EMPLOYMENT SECTORS: VISITOR ECONOMY, PUBLIC SERVICES, FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, FOOD AND DRINK, MANUFACTURING NEW BUSINESSES: 42 NEW BUSINESSES PER 10,000 WORKING AGE ADULTS PER YEAR SKILLS: MORE THAN A THIRD OF THE POPULATION HAVE A DEGREE OR EQUIVALENT. A QUARTER OF THE POPULATION HAVE LOW OR NO QUALIFICATIONS Source: York, North Yorkshire and East Riding LEP “We need to be much faster when it comes to opportunities.” JAMES ALEXANDER Leader of City of York Council, on York’s inward investment pull York may be the jewel in the crown of Yorkshire’s tourism offer but it has also enjoyed success in attracting high-tech businesses to the city. James Alexander, leader of City of York Council, says York is performing well compared with the national average but admits more work needs to be done to attract investors. “The council has not been good enough at key account management for some businesses,” he says. “We need to be much faster when it comes to opportunities.” York benefits from its location on the East Coast Main Line route between London and Scotland, which enables locals to reach the English capital in around two hours. Alexander is liaising with his counterparts at Harrogate Council as they explore options for linking Leeds Bradford Airport to the rail line between Leeds and Harrogate, which would offer international visitors easier access to the region. Improving access to Harrogate and York is critical for the ongoing success of the local tourism industry. Conference organisers, for example, need assurance that their delegates can reach a destination quickly and comfortably. Alexander says: “Business tourism is becoming increasingly important. We need to make sure we have an advertised offer that people are aware of.” 12 

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Yorkshire and Humber plc 2013

Yorkshire and Humber plc 2013
Contents
Economy at a Glance
In Focus… Yorkshire
In Focus… Leeds City Region
In Focus… Sheffield City Region
In Focus… Hull and the Humber
In Focus… York and North Yorkshire
International Trade
Manufacturing
Knowledge and Skills
Food and Drink
Energy

Yorkshire and Humber plc 2013

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