Member Article

Leeds BID partners with VisitLeeds to boost winter economic growth

Leeds Business Improvement District (Leeds BID) has partnered with VisitLeeds to launch a winter visitor campaign, aiming to boost the city’s economic growth.

The ‘Magical Leeds’ campaign aims to raise the profile of the city, to increase visitor numbers and encourage overnight stays over the festive period, by highlighting Leeds’ fantastic visitor offering, attractions and events.

Running until mid-February, Magical Leeds will feature an integrated marketing campaign, which includes print, digital and radio advertising, PR, video and social media functions.

The targeted campaign is focused on attracting specific audiences within key catchment areas in the UK, including those between a one and two-hour drive time from the city and along the East Coast Main Line, to encourage them to extend their trip to an overnight stay or even longer, driving dwell time and spend.

The primary funding for this year’s national campaign is provided by Leeds BID and supported by Leeds City Council, VisitLeeds, Trinity Leeds as the Gold partner, as well as a selection of key city centre businesses.

A not-for-profit, business-led organisation, Leeds Business Improvement District is committed to driving commercial investment through added value in the city centre. It is the third largest business improvement district in the country and is funded by an additional 1.25 per cent levy through business rates, where the rateable value is over £60,000, to pay for a range of improvements.

Andrew Cooper, Chief Executive of the Leeds Business Improvement District, said: “Leeds is a city with a significant visitor offering, and through our major investment in this campaign, we hope that we can align the city with other major European destinations over the winter season.

“Leeds is continually ranked as a top UK city for visitors, but it’s important that we don’t rest on our laurels. We need to look ahead to meet changing customer expectations and highlight the unique experiences on offer within the city.”

Jennifer Young, Associate Director of Visitor Economy at Leeds City Council, said: “With a range of key visitor economy partners involved in the 2015 campaign, we hope this will be the best year yet.

“The support from our partners across critical sectors of the city’s business community has been tremendous. The extra investment this collaboration has leveraged enables us to bring more energy and greater ambition to the campaign, benefiting everyone enjoying the city centre this winter. It’s fantastic to see that we have such substantial support from cultural, retail and leisure heavyweights, which have come together to help boost the visitor economy.”

Partners of the Magical Leeds campaign are Trinity Leeds, first direct arena, Carriageworks, Chaophraya, Northern Ballet, Opera North, Leeds Film Festival, The Craft Centre and Design Gallery, Leeds City Museum, Leeds International Concert Season, Pink Gorilla, Royal Armouries, The Tetley, Weetwood Hall, Doubletree by Hilton, The Met, Hilton Leeds City, The Queens, Wood Hall Hotel & Spa and Leeds Hotel and Venues Association.