Tourist hotspots in the district are bucking the recession as they report an increase in visitors.

So far this summer, East Riddlesden Hall in Keighley is one of the best performing National Trust properties in Yorkshire.

And both the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway and the Bronte Parsonage Museum in Haworth are recording improved tourist figures.

The National Media Museum has also seen a small rise in visitors, especially to view the work of photographer Don McCullin, which includes views of Bradford.

A National Trust spokesman said: “All our properties are up on visitors and East Riddlesden Hall is one of our best performing sites in Yorkshire with an increase of 21 per cent on last year.

“People are staying at home and our feedback from visitors shows they are looking to do things near to home and they are making re-visits.”

The increase reflects a similar rise announced by English Heritage, which said in the first quarter of the financial year, its sites have reported a 25 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

Andrew McCarthy, director of the Bronte Parsonage Museum, said: “We are significantly up in the first half of this year on last year – ten per cent in May and June.

“We have to work a lot harder, especially in the recession, to give good value for money and, as well as visiting the museum, visitors can get involved in art and crafts, enjoy theatrical performances, poetry reading and picnics.”

Extra incentives are also being offered by the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway to tempt visitors. Spokesman Jim Shipley said: “There has not been a drop – we are holding our own and I’ve noticed a slight increase in the visitors on Sundays.”

Phil Oates, of the National Media Museum, said: “The museum has seen a slight increase in visitor numbers between April – June 2009, compared to the same period last year.”