Tourism is an important economic activity in the AONB.  Each year, many people visit the area on both day trips or holidays to enjoy the landscape, spend time in the towns and villages or to go walking, cycling, riding or birdwatching.

Demand

A visitor survey was carried out in 2000 by the Yorkshire Tourist Board. It showed that in 1999:

• 334,000 people made day visits
• 66,000 people stayed overnight for an average of 4.6 nights
• 96% travelled independently and 4% came with an organised group
• Visitors' age profile is older than that for the Yorkshire Dales
• 70% of day visitors originate from within Yorkshire with high numbers of repeat visits from the Leeds/Bradford conurbation to the south of the AONB
• 28% of staying visitors also originate from Yorkshire and 25% from London and the South East
• 30% visit the AONB on a regular basis (compared to 8% for the Yorkshire Dales)
• Sightseeing by car and on foot are the most popular activities followed by shopping, eating & drinking, walking and visiting attractions
• Visitors spent an estimated £20.5 million in 1998

Supply

A range of accommodation is available in the AONB, although less than half participate in the National Inspection Scheme:

• 65 serviced hotels, inns, guesthouses and B&Bs provide a total of 554 bedspaces
• 74 self-catering establishments - 349 bedspaces
• 15 caravan and camping sites - approx 1118 bedspaces
• 2 establishments provide more than 100 bedspaces for groups

The average occupancy level for serviced accommodation is 35%pa.  On average self-catering establishments are let for 29 weeks of the year.  Fountains Abbey and Brimham Rocks are internationally-known and attract large numbers of visitors each year (297,000 to Fountains and 150,000 to Brimham in 1999).  There are many smaller attractions, including the Nidderdale Museum - 20,000 visitors pa and Island Heritage, which attracts 3,500.  Several others are based on crafts and local produce glassmaking, jewellery making, woodworking, etc.

Sustainable Tourism

Management of tourism is vital to ensure that visitors can enjoy their experience to the full and to prevent damage to the environment. The AONB is working with partners to develop opportunities for sustainable tourism which recognise the present and future needs of the environment, tourism businesses, visitors and the local community. It seeks to benefit and integrate all of them.

For further information about Tourism in the Nidderdale AONB please visit the Nidderdale AONB visitor website