Bradford’s “People’s Palace” To Host Tourism Celebration

The UK’s biggest onstage tourism show is heading to Bradford this year as Welcome to Yorkshire’s annual showcase has been confirmed for Wednesday 25th March at St George’s Hall from 9.30am to 2pm. Tickets available at www.yorkshire.com/Y20

The venue, affectionately known as the people’s palace, reopened last year after an extensive transformational refurbishment.

The grade II* listed Victorian building seats up to 1,350 people and is one of the oldest concert halls still in use in the UK. With an illustrious history, it’s played host to a wealth of internationally renowned performers, from Charles Dickens, who in December 1854 recited extracts from his novel A Christmas Carol, to David Bowie in June 1973 on his groundbreaking Ziggy Stardust Tour, and many more since.

Y20 will see key players from across Yorkshire take to that famous stage to reveal their exclusive plans to make the county a must-see destination for tourists.

An audience of more than a thousand will hear all the very latest Yorkshire tourism news from the worlds of food and drink, heritage, attractions, accommodation, the arts, culture and there will be celebrity guests too.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Executive Member for Healthy People and Places at Bradford Council, said: “We are delighted that Welcome to Yorkshire is bringing Y20 to Bradford, giving us the opportunity to showcase our stunningly refurbished St George’s Hall. Bradford has some amazing places to offer tourists, we are famous for our curries and being the first UNESCO City of Film with many places in the city centre and district being used as the location for major films and TV series. We look forward to giving people from across Yorkshire and beyond a warm Bradford welcome.”

Welcome to Yorkshire’s new chief executive James Mason will take to the stage to talk about recent changes, developments and improvements at the tourism body.

The initial findings of a major tourism consultation will also be revealed, which will help influence Welcome to Yorkshire’s future plans to continue promoting and marketing the county as a number one visitor destination over the coming decade.

Chief Executive James Mason said: “I can’t wait to attend my first Y conference and what a bonus that it’s in my home city of Bradford at such an outstanding venue. This unique event is one of the key dates in the tourism calendar and a must for anyone involved in the industry or with a passion for the county.

"It’s such a great platform to promote what Welcome to Yorkshire and all our members and partners are doing to attract visitors from near and far. It also offers an opportunity to learn from businesses about the challenges and opportunities they face in the visitor economy and how we can help boost tourism.”