IT has been one month since the world-famous Tour de France raced through Yorkshire - and the Bradford district is still buzzing.

Many businesses say trade is up, hotels are taking more bookings and visitor centres have reported numbers increasing significantly.

The Tour's Grand Depart whistled through parts of the district on July 5 and 6 - taking in Keighley, Haworth, Otley, Ilkley, Skipton, Addingham, Silsden, Stanbury, Oxenhope and Pool-in-Wharfedale on the way.

One month on, Le Tour bunting is still pinned up in some places and yellow-painted bikes still adorn some roundabouts and paths.

Bradford Council said businesses along the route had seen a boost in trade since The Grand Depart and that in the week following the event visitor numbers for Ilkley Visitor Centre increased by 156 per cent while Haworth Visitor Information Centre saw a rise of 83 per cent.

Susan Hinchcliffe, the Council's executive member for Employment, Skills and Culture, said: "For the Tour de France weekend, visitor numbers were enormous. Our own Visitor Information Centres experienced the busiest week they'd ever had.

"We're participating in Yorkshire-wide impact studies so we'll get statistics later in the year. However the benefits of having Yorkshire on the television in glorious weather, viewed by three billion people globally, will have tourism benefits for years to come."

Bradford-born Mr Yorkshire, chairman of the Yorkshire Society Keith Madeley, said: "The Tour has had a very positive effect. Hotels in the Wharfe Valley are reporting increased bookings from people wanting to cycle the Tour de France route.

"It showed Yorkshire at its best and the weather was good. It should have a really good legacy because it has highlighted what we’ve got."

Ann Dinsdale, of Bronte Parsonage Museum, said visitor numbers at the venue had been "up and down" in the month since Le Tour, adding that they had had very busy days among some quieter ones.

"Speaking as a Haworth resident it was fantastic and really good, " said Mrs Dinsdale. "In the future I think it will have a really positive effect."

The chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire Gary Verity said: "Yorkshire is undoubtedly on the map globally now and thanks to that amazing weekend on July 5 and 6 the lazy stereotypes of it being 'grim up north' should finally have been put to bed.

"There is nothing in the UK that comes close to the brand power of Yorkshire at the moment. We are rightfully at the forefront of everyone’s minds and we have done it with little support from central Government to really promote the county to its fullest which would help rebalance the economy away from London, which is part of the Government’s stated aims for tourism.

"Plus Yorkshire is consistently coming top of must-visit destination lists compiled by the likes of Lonely Planet, AOL, and TripAdvisor, not to mention the county has won prestigious travel awards at international ceremonies."