TOURISM agency Welcome To Yorkshire has announced a £500,000 initiative to grow the region’s business tourism sector.

The Business Tourism Strategy aims to increase the value of corporate business secured by the region’s four conference bureaux, including York & Scarborough Conferences and Hull & East Yorkshire Conferences, to £1.8m.

Welcome To Yorkshire will appoint a new sales executive for each of the conference bureaux and embark on a marketing and PR campaign in key trade titles and business publications, and at national business tourism exhibitions.

The initiative will include Welcome To Yorkshire’s sponsorship of York Racecourse’s Ebor Festival this summer and the Welcome To Yorkshire Golf Campaign to promote Yorkshire’s golf courses.

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome To Yorkshire, said he was encouraged that, despite the gloomy economic climate, the region has continued to attract significant investment in enhanced conference, meeting and exhibition facilities.

This included £12m at Harrogate International Centre, £8m at Rudding Park, the £20m new Cedar Court Grand Hotel & Spa in York and a £7m development project at Scarborough Spa.

He said: “Yorkshire already performs well in this sector, with world-class venues, excellent service and our renowned Yorkshire welcome making the region a popular choice for corporate buyers and bookers, generating some £1.6bn into the regional economy each year. I’m confident that our strong product offering, combined with this new, coordinated sales, marketing and PR campaign is going to drive even greater results for the region.

“This strategy will see Welcome To Yorkshire and the region’s conference bureaux working together to put Yorkshire firmly on the business tourism map and make it the number one choice for conferences and events.”

Tourism marketing agency Bonner & Hindley Communications has been appointed to deliver the business tourism PR campaign.