Member Article

Wheels in motion for major Grand Départ event

Welcome to Yorkshire’s Y conference event marks the start of the Yorkshire Festival 2014 and the Grand Départ Legacy project launch.

A top team from the Tour de France will join around 2,000 people and businesses at the biggest tourism event in the UK.

Tourism in Yorkshire is worth £7 billion annually and the county’s industry employs almost a quarter of a million people with 216 million visits to Yorkshire each year.

Welcome to Yorkshire’s annual Y conference event will this year focus on the Grand Départ of the Tour de France which is coming to Yorkshire on July 5 and 6, before heading to Cambridge and London on July 7.

Local cyclists are also expected to attend alongside Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme at the chat show-style event which will be hosted by experienced national sports presenter Rob Walker at Harrogate International Centre from 10.45am.

Yorkshire singer/songwriter Alistair Griffin perform his new song commissioned by Welcome to Yorkshire which will be the official anthem of the Grand Départ.

Latest on plans, preparations and details for the race will also be unveiled plus more about the Team Presentation at the first direct arena in Leeds which will take place on July 3.

Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “Since 2009, our Y events have heralded the start of the tourism season to help invigorate and galvanise the Yorkshire tourism industry.

“But never before have we had the pleasure of telling people that the world’s largest annual sporting event will be coming to our doorstep in just a few months’ time and the eyes of the entire world will be on Yorkshire.

“Anyone who wants to know more about the Tour coming, is a cycling fan or just wants to be part of this massive event for the county should register now as seats will go fast – especially given it is a free event.”

People from across Yorkshire can register for their free ticket for the March 27 event now at www.yorkshire.com/Y14

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .