English Tourism Week this week - so much to celebrate in Northumberland

This coming week, 5th-13th March, is English Tourism Week 2016. Tourism is a vital regional industry; generating £3.1 billion, and providing 58,000 jobs in the North East, last year. The industry is also England’s third largest employer, directly providing jobs for over 1.5 million people, and generating £82 billion a year for regional communities.

In Northumberland we are very fortunate: we have award winning hospitality, glorious natural spaces, and history in abundance. This week, therefore is the perfect opportunity to go out and enjoy all our county has to offer, and support our local tourism industry.

Last month I attended a key tourism reception in the Commons. The striking difference was that there was lots of evidence of the North's many tourism organisations working together and not in competition. This is another example of the change that is happening by reason of the Northern Powerhouse leadership and drive towards a view that we are better together up north.