Let there be light, says SIR GRAHAM HALL, chairman of Yorkshire Forward, who wants to see York as a 24-hour city.

To many of us, the concept of a 24-hour city conjures up an immediate image of the typical Euro metropolis - Paris or Milan perhaps.

We are probably less likely to consider our own cities in the same light, although there have been great efforts made by Leeds, Edinburgh and others to encourage visitors to remain in the city after dark or to visit specifically in the evening.

Extending visitor days could play a substantial role in helping boost a city's economy - and York, as our region's gateway destination, would substantially benefit.

There's no doubt that the impact of September 11 continues to affect York's tourist industry - although visitor numbers from within the UK have improved, we are still suffering from a significant loss of visitors from key overseas markets, and losing out to other European destinations.

Overseas visitors have declined significantly, from 34 per cent of the total numbers of visitors in 1995/6 to only 19 per cent in the past year. Many of these were from the U.S, which makes the decline even more acute when you consider that they also form the higher income group - 94 per cent, compared with 68 per cent of UK visitors.

Yorkshire Forward is working with York City Council to help redress the balance, and encourage these key overseas visitors to stay longer (and spend more!).

I'm delighted to say that we are supporting the York Tourism Infrastructure project with funding of £895,000, which will help create a new high-profile visitor experience aimed at those upper spend overnight visitors.

The money will be linked to the "city lighting" investment that will help bring a new perspective to York with subtle and imaginative lighting that will complement its key attractions, city walls, rivers and squares. It will also integrate with the city's digital and creative expertise to generate and apply new concepts of interpretation as well as showcase York's digital cluster.

In essence, the benefits of "Lighting up" York will be enormous - the Evening Press recently quoted Lyons as a prime example of the way lighting could be used to good effect, as well as illustrating how tourists could be encouraged to stay on in the city in the evenings, or even to pay a specific visit at night.

Instead of the visitors merely dwindling away once the sun goes down, the city would remain alive at night, with attractions such as late-night shopping and cafes, street events and markets, as well as being a far safer environment.

This exciting project will ensure future visitors experience York's traditional attractions enhanced by state- of-the-art technology to reflect the image of a modern, vibrant 24-hour city. Who needs Paris or Milan to light up our lives?.

Updated: 09:14 Tuesday, November 25, 2003