Battle to keep the tourists

The industry, worth £3 billion in Yorkshire alone, employs over 135,000 people and there are success stories with attractions in the area reporting bumper figures for visitors.

For others, however, the strength of the pound and the high cost of living is deterring foreign visitors in droves. Added to that is the sheer competition of different attractions vying for visitors.

Even one of Yorkshire's most famous landmarks is experiencing difficulties.

During the 1970s visitors to the Bronte Parsonage Museum numbered 221,000. In 1994 this dropped to 101,408, then 93,731 in 1997. Figures are currently around the 83,500 mark.

But, said curator Rachel Terry, there had been a concerted effort to reduce numbers in the past because the sheer volume of people passing through the historic home of the three literary sisters was damaging the fabric of the house.

"For a long time we had a great number of visitors. Although this was good we wanted to ensure that they had the best experience. Prices had been frozen for a long time so it was decided that they should increase in line with inflation and we saw a natural drop-off in numbers."

But the decline has gone too far.

"We would certainly like to attract more visitors," said Mrs Terry. "But things are difficult because there are so many competing attractions. Maybe we have to look at ways of attracting more people here."

At Keighley's East Riddlesden Hall it is a similar picture.

Assistant property manager Liz Houseman said there was a slump in visitor figures.

"We've had about 15,000 visitors for this part of the year but we are only open from April to October," said Ms Houseman.

"The fact is there is a lot of competition and we are finding it hard to hold our own against places like the White Rose Shopping Centre and other attractions.

"A few years ago we were pulling in crowds of around 35,000 per year. Now we are struggling to get 25,000. We do get people in when we hold special events and it isn't the cost that is putting people off. It's just that there is a lot of competition."

Steve Kerry, Bradford Council's head of visitor services, said visitor numbers for museums and galleries in Bradford were fluctuating.

"It can depend on anything really. The National Museum of Photography, Film and Television ran a very successful exhibition on Escher and that drew in the crowds, so it is a very mixed picture really. There are probably the same number of visitors but they are being spread over more attractions."

A spokesman for Bradford's National Museum of Photography, Film & Television said it was the most visited British museum outside London.

"After a £16 million transformation, the museum reopened in June 1999 and welcomed 862,000 visitors in its first year and recently scooped the Yorkshire Tourist Board's attraction of the year 2000."

But the attraction is free and many of the visitors will be from the locality.

What about foreign visitors?

Again, it is a mixed picture. Some hotels and caravan parks in the Bronte area are reporting a quiet summer, while for others it is booming.

Stephen Atha, owner of the Dalesgate Hotel & Restaurant in Keighley, two miles from the Bronte Parsonage, said it was an unusually quiet year for tourists.

"Normally you would get quite a few people from overseas but it has been quiet this year. It is difficult to say in figures but we did used to get a lot and this year there have been none which is dramatic. I don't know what the reasons are. Maybe the area is not promoting itself."

Maria Glot, Bradford's first and only tourism officer, says Bradford needs to promote itself. As tourism officer from 1980 to 1994 Miss Glot promoted the city round the world.

"Before our team was appointed we had less than 1,000 people working in tourism and a revenue of about £8-10million. By the time we finished we estimated there were 12,000 working in tourism and we had a revenue of between £120-160 million.

"I just think it's a shame that places like the Transperience transport discovery park, which cost £11 million, had to close. Now we have the wonderful Life Force attraction in Bradford but no-one knows about it.

"There is more competition and that is all the more reason to promote our city."

She added that even in the historic mill village of Saltaire, which has traditionally attracted people from around the globe, she had noticed a decline in overseas visitors. Miss Glot, who conducts guided walks of the village, blamed lack of promotion.

Adriane Sharples, who has run the Harden & Bingley Caravan Park for 21 years, agreed there were usually many overseas visitors.

"We used to have a lot of people coming from Holland and Germany every year. Sometimes they'd come from further away but this is the first time that we haven't had any foreign visitors.

"We assume it's because of the expense and the strength of the pound and perhaps the area is not being promoted overseas. It is a shame though because we are in such a beautiful part of the country."

It was a different story at Bronte Caravan Park, which has won a national Loo of the Year award two years running and also attendant of the year for the owner's son. Here demand from foreign tourists is so high that staff are being sent on French and German language courses to enable them to communicate better with visitors.

Danny Parker, who has run the park for four years, said: "We have been inundated. It is amazing. I would say our turnover has quadrupled. It's been our busiest year yet."

Mr Parker said it was the high standard of facilities that was keeping tourists flocking to the site in Keighley.

"We attract a lot of passing trade and have had a very positive response from people. I certainly haven't noticed anyone complaining about the strength of the pound."

Another success story in the area is Classic Car Hire in Otley. Dream cars, ranging from Morris Minor convertibles to Porsches and Ferraris are hired out for special occasions and holidays and director Diane Smith says business has never been so brisk, especially among foreign visitors.

"We have people from all over the world coming to hire our cars. They come to make their holidays extra special. On one occasion three gentlemen arrived at the same time from America, Turkey and Australia and they each drove off in their dream cars."

The company was runner up in the Yorkshire Tourist Board's White Rose Awards for Tourism last year.

"We get people booking via email and a lot of repeat visits. To these people the strength of the pound or the cost of fuel is incidental. It isn't going to spoil their holiday."

David Andrews, chief executive of the Yorkshire Tourist Board, said: "Undoubtedly, the strength of sterling will have some effect on certain sectors of the market. But cost is not the only factor taken into account when planning a holiday. Research shows that more and more people are considering value for time as an important deciding factor.

"Since we have no control over the strength of sterling, we must ensure that other factors including value for time and quality of experience are of the highest standard. Attractions like the National Museum of Photography, Film & Television provide exactly these experiences."