Tourism venture aims to go beyond final whistle

A North Tyneside tourism venture is aiming to give visitors the full Geordie experience while helping local businesses tap into the region’s growing visitor economy.

The Geordieland Experience has been launched by born-and-bred Geordies Fiona Surrey, known as Geordie Lass, and Mark Breillat, aka Sparky Buddy, with an ambition to bring tourism, hospitality and events closer together.

Their message is simple: don’t just come to Newcastle for the football – stay longer, explore more and come back.

Central to the venture is what the pair describe as a “THE ecosystem” – Tourism, Hospitality and Events – designed to connect businesses across the three sectors and encourage visitors to experience more during their stay.

Fiona said: “It’s about travelling with a purpose.

“Someone might come here because they want to watch Newcastle United, but why should their experience stop when the final whistle goes?

“We can show them the history, the culture, the food, the Quayside, the bridges, the coast and everything else the North East has to offer.

“If we can turn a two-day visit into a week-long experience, that benefits the whole region.”

Fiona and Mark are also developing a one-stop digital solution aimed at simplifying the process of planning a trip to Newcastle.

Rather than navigating multiple websites for accommodation, football tickets, attractions, restaurants and entertainment, visitors would be able to bring their trip together in one place.

Mark added: “We want people coming here for the first time to feel looked after.

“We want them to have such a fantastic experience that they go home and tell their friends about Newcastle and then come back with their pals.

“Our aim is to have visitors arrive as tourists and leave as friends, ambassadors and, hopefully, future regulars.

“We are so very proud of our region, and we want to share our passion with others so they never forget the experience.

“That is where the real opportunity is.”

Adding a personal touch is Rent a Geordie, a service combining elements of a concierge, tour guide, party planner and organiser.

Support can begin with collecting visitors from the airport or another point of entry and continue throughout their stay, with itineraries tailored to their interests.

The concept is already being put into practice, with a visitor from San Francisco due to spend a week in Newcastle from Christmas Eve.

His itinerary includes Newcastle United hospitality, stadium tours, a VIP Newcastle Eagles experience, Christmas markets and historic city tours, alongside further football hospitality before returning home on New Year’s Eve.

Mark, who previously founded Travel Buddy Newcastle, says the personal welcome is central to the concept, with international visitors increasingly keen to discover the city and wider region beyond football.

One of the pair’s favourite moments comes when they take first-time visitors down Newcastle’s steep Dean Street before revealing the Tyne, Quayside and its famous bridges below.

Fiona added: “They just stand there in awe.

“To see their faces when they see the bridges and the Quayside for the first time is absolutely priceless.

“You can’t put a price on it.”

Behind those memorable experiences is a wider ambition to ensure the economic benefits of tourism are shared across the region.

Longer stays can mean additional spending with accommodation providers, restaurants, bars, attractions, retailers, transport operators and venues, with The Geordieland Experience aiming to build a network of local businesses that can benefit.

Fiona added: “It’s about keeping the money within our local economy.

“We want to connect the visitor with local businesses and make sure that when they come here, they experience as much of the North East as possible.”

The pair bring experience spanning sales, operations, retail, technology and travel. Fiona spent 15 years in retail before moving into technology management, while Mark’s career has included sales and operations roles and launching a UK market for an international company in Berlin.

After returning to the North East, Mark founded Travel Buddy Newcastle in 2022, with the venture ultimately bringing the pair together through their shared passion for the region.

Now IATA and TIDS registered, The Geordieland Experience is investment ready, with Fiona and Mark keen to speak to potential partners and investors who share their ambitions for the visitor economy.

Fiona added: “We are 100 per cent investment ready.

“If there are passionate people out there who believe in Newcastle, believe in the North East and want to be part of what we’re building, we’d love to have a conversation.”

For the two Geordies, the ultimate ambition is to turn first-time tourists into friends, ambassadors and future regulars – with the pair confident “the future’s bright, the future’s black and white”.

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