An Alternative View of Yorkshire

The Brief

Brahm PR was appointed by Yorkshire Forward to support the Regional Development Agency’s tourism drive, complementing the work being carried out by the Yorkshire Tourist Board by targeting short breaks to Yorkshire.

The objectives were to increase visitor numbers to the region, increase average visitor spend, attract a younger, more affluent visitor and make the media think differently about Yorkshire.

Our Response

Media coverage was clearly key to increasing awareness of Yorkshire as a short break destination, and to change the traditional ‘James Herriot’ perceptions of the region amongst potential visitors.

A new ‘alternative’ guide was developed by Brahm to sell a wide range of short break ideas to travel journalists, and to act as fulfilment material for the advertising campaign. It would still promote everything that Yorkshire has to offer, but be packaged in a different way.

The ‘Alternative Guide’ highlighted boutique hotels, luxury spas, gourmet restaurants and chic shopping. There was no advertising or advertorials, to make it more attractive (and readable) to journalists and potential visitors alike.

A series of feature articles were developed and sold in to the media that supported the Alternative Yorkshire positioning and conveyed the quality of the Yorkshire experience.

The Outcomes

Over 600,000 more trips were made to the region in the first six months of the campaign, compared to the same period the previous year.

Spend by English visitors to Yorkshire and the Humber increased by 17.5 per cent and the number of people taking weekend breaks to Yorkshire cities such as Leeds or York went up by 25%.

Over 80 titles featured Yorkshire as a result of the campaign, and all 60,000 copies of the Alternative Guide were distributed to journalists or potential visitors.

Andy Pietrasik, The Guardian’s travel editor, said: “A brilliant book. There’s nothing like it that looks at the modern aspects of Yorkshire. It will really open people’s eyes to how much the region has changed and what it has to offer.”

For further information please contact Phil Reed, Head of PR or Ruth Holgate, Business Development Manager, on 0113 230 4000 or email greatoutcomes@brahm.com