YORK Tourism Bureau is looking to Europe as it tries to minimise the effect that the September 11 terrorist attacks have had on the city.

The bureau has stepped up its marketing campaigns in Europe in a bid to woo more Germans, Dutch and Belgians to York after it was predicted that the number of American visitors to York would fall by at least 20 per cent.

A new campaign called First Stop York By Ferry has been launched in conjunction with P&O North Sea Ferries, and a promotional leaflet drop in the Netherlands is expected to attract an extra 10,000 visits over the coming 12 months.

But, warns the bureau, it may not be enough to counter the drastic fall of U.S. visitors to York.

Kay Hyde, spokeswoman for the Tourism Bureau, said: "We are expecting to have a very difficult year next year. We don't think anything that we can do can make up for the loss of American visitors. We think these campaigns will help but we really are going to miss our American visitors, there's no doubt about it."

As part of the campaign, anyone who travels to York by P&O North Sea Ferries from Belgium or the Netherlands between now and the end of March can claim a voucher booklet offering them half-price entrance into the city's attractions. In addition to this, customers can also book three nights accommodation for the price of two.

A promotional leaflet has been mailed to 200,000 homes in Belgium and the Netherlands which could lead to an additional 10,000 visits next year.

To support the new campaign 10,000 copies of the new York Visitor guide are now being displayed on Hull-bound ferries.

Gillian Cruddas, chief executive of York Tourism Bureau, said: "We are strengthening our links with ferry operators with this new campaign, links via Hull to Zeebrugge and Rotterdam are excellent and this method of travel to York is proving more and more popular".

The new campaign comes as the British Tourist Authority (BTA) prepares to launch a £5 million campaign encouraging overseas visitors to travel to Britain.

Under the working title of Come To Britain the campaign will be primarily targeted at seven key international markets: Germany, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Ireland, USA and Canada.

Any UK tourism business, whether a hotelier, visitor attraction, transport operator, entertainment provider, restaurant, tour company, travel provider or retailer, prepared to make a special offer to overseas visitors for a limited period can be included.

The date by which initial offers for inclusion into the campaign should be received at the BTA is this Friday, but BTA will be happy to receive details of any new offers made available by its partners from time to time so that they too can be included in ongoing promotions. To get full details and register your offer log on to BTA's trade website: www.tourismtrade.org.uk.

Updated: 11:05 Tuesday, December 18, 2001