TOURISM businesses across the Bradford district have seen a huge surge in visitors over the last year thanks to Yorkshire's Grand Depart of the Tour de France.

Figures from Visit England show the amount of money spent by visitors to Yorkshire is up by 45 per cent since last June, while the number of people visiting the county was up by a quarter and the number of overnight visitors was up 20 per cent.

A spokesman for Visit England said numerous businesses across Bradford district had reported a boost in visitor numbers since Le Tour, including pubs in Skipton, Addingham and Burnsall.

The race last July passed through the district, taking in Pool-in-Wharfedale, Otley, Addingham, Draughton, Skipton, Silsden, Keighley, Cross Roads, Haworth and Oxenhope along the way.

A report commissioned by Bradford Council earlier this year revealed that the Grand Depart brought an extra £12 million to the district with the potential for £3 million from repeat visitors.

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, the Council's portfolio holder for Education, Skills And Culture, said: "The Tour de France was a great boost to the district, not just socially but also economically with an estimated £12 million coming into the district. And it's not just about the event itself.

"Millions of people saw the race on TV and therefore it was the best advertisement we could ever have for showing the district off to its best advantage and encouraging people to come, visit and spend money here."

Sir Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “We are absolutely delighted to see that the county and its businesses are reaping the rewards of Yorkshire’s Grand Depart.

“We knew that once we showcased Yorkshire to the world, we would inspire potential visitors to come and see this beautiful county for themselves."

Mike Cartwright, of Bradford Chamber, said: "The Tour’s Grand Depart certainly had an impact in terms of tourism potential and the true value of that should be felt for some time to come.

"While some sectors faired better than others – and some firms were even adversely affected due to the disruption caused by road closures and other preparation measures – most agree that the event was positive overall for Yorkshire.

"One of the most memorable images is of the peloton coming up Haworth High Street, so areas like tourism are the obvious beneficiaries. But it's also done no harm for Yorkshire pride, which was already robust."

Matt Stroh, of the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, said: "The weekend itself, for us, was fantastic. We really went back to our roots and became what our founders wanted us to be, which was a transport mechanism for the weekend.

"We got a lot of people up the valley in the morning, but had lots more onboard in the afternoon who wanted to carry on the party and had a drink on the train."

He added: "It did us no end of good. It has certainly made selling Yorkshire easier."

A spokesman for the Brontë Society said: "The Brontë Parsonage Museum welcomes approximately 70,000 visitors every year, many of them from outside the UK. The Grand Depart did much to raise Yorkshire’s profile and this, together with TV coverage showcasing the stunning landscape of Brontë Country, has helped ensure we remain on the ‘must-see list’ for visitors – essential when there are so many destinations, attractions and leisure activities all vying for customers."