Durham visitor economy nears record £1.5 billion

A North East visitor economy has continued its record-breaking growth trajectory.

County Durham’s visitor economy reached £1.48 billion in 2025, according to the latest independent STEAM assessment, marking an eight per cent increase on the previous year and a third consecutive year of record-breaking results.

Visit County Durham, Durham County Council’s tourism service, has welcomed the figures, which it says reflect sustained investment, partnership working and the continued development of high-quality visitor experiences across the county.

The assessment shows 21.98 million people visited County Durham in 2025, up two per cent on 2024 and the highest visitor numbers in the North East.

Overnight tourism also continued to play a key role in driving economic value. Staying visitor numbers rose 1.8 per cent to 1.67 million, while overnight visitor spending increased 11.2 per cent to £651.94 million.

Although overnight visitors accounted for just eight per cent of total visits, they generated 44 per cent of all visitor spending.

Tourism is also supporting employment across the county, with more than 14,000 full-time equivalent jobs now linked to the visitor economy, including 11,250 directly in the sector and 2819 through the wider supply chain.

The growth has been supported by investment in County Durham’s tourism, hospitality, heritage and cultural offer, alongside national and international marketing activity.

Supporting this momentum is the county’s expanding outdoor offer and year-round programme of festivals, events and experiences, which are encouraging visitors to stay longer and discover more of the area.

Duncan Peake, chair of Visit County Durham and chief executive of Raby Estates, said: “These latest figures reflect the strength and resilience of County Durham’s visitor economy and demonstrate the positive impact of continued investment and collaboration across the sector. 

“Tourism plays an important role in supporting jobs, businesses and communities across the county, and it is encouraging to see continued growth in visitor numbers, visitor spending and employment. 

“We know there are still more opportunities ahead, particularly around further growth in overnight stays and continued investment in visitor experiences and accommodation, and we will continue working closely with partners across the county to build on this momentum.”

Councillor Karen Allison, portfolio holder for leisure, tourism, regeneration and high street at Durham County Council, added: “Tourism continues to make a significant contribution to County Durham’s economy and communities, demonstrating the value of long-term investment, strong partnership working and high-quality visitor experiences. 

“Tourism is not just important for visitors, it also benefits residents, supporting jobs, creating opportunities and fostering pride in our county.

“With exciting developments still to come in 2026, including The Light in Durham City and Kynren’s new daytime attraction, there will be even more for residents and visitors to experience, helping County Durham continue to strengthen its profile on both the national and international stage.”

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