Growing Market

The North-East's £3bn tourism business gives work to 100,000 people - figures likely to grow over the next 12 months with the launch of more budget flights, and the opening of new holiday and cultural attractions like the Hadrian's Wall trail, the Sage regional music centre and the Baltic gallery of modern art. In 2002 the region saw an 18pc increase in visitors - more than anywhere else in the country and more than double the national average - which brought in another £500m. Newcastle and Gateshead's city breaks, now in the UK's Top 10 popularity list, are being intensively promoted in Scandinavia, Spain, Holland and Ireland. Story continues ADVERTISEMENT The twin centres' visitor figures will swell even more in 2005 when the world famous Tall Ships race returns to the Tyne. Newcastle, already acclaimed internationally as one of the world's best party cities, is also promoting its serious side as a conference centre. This kind of business has doubled in two years, giving a value now of £32m. Meanwhile, the leisure-break business is benefiting from an intensive development of entertainment in Newcastle, fuelled by a rise of drinking licences for pubs and clubs, and a more flexible attitude to opening hours. The city's £75m urban entertainment centre The Gate has reportedly traded to expectation in its first  year, and was recently named the UK's best mixed-use commercial leisure scheme by Property Week. Flying options Scheduled flights to and from Newcastle Airport for business and leisure now take in Aberdeen, Belfast (City and International), Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Isle of Man, Jersey, Liverpool, London (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted) and Southampton domestically. Foreign destinations include: Alicante, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Dublin, Dusseldorf, Paris, Prague and Stavanger, with Durban and Port Elizabeth to follow. Scheduled flights to and from Teesside Airport include: Aberdeen, Amsterdam, Belfast, Bristol, Copenhagen, Dublin, Geneva, London Heathrow and Malaga. Both airports in addition have busy charter programmes. On sea Tourism booming on the water through North Sea ferry services, could get an additional fillip with moves to make the Tyne, Tees and Wear ports of call for cruise ships. Page & May and Travel Sphere have committed liners. The Port of Tyne Authority believes even the QE2 and the Oriana might eventually be attracted. A part is being sought in this also for smaller ports such as Berwick, Amble, Blyth, Seaham and Hartlepool. On the Tyne, where DFDS and Fjordline link the North-East with Scandinavia and Holland, passenger numbers have been rising by around 12pc a year. Hotels impress Standards are rising in accommodation, and a perceived guest room shortfall of 2,000 which has built up with the North-East's growing popularity as a destination is being tackled. An improvement will immediately be evident when the newly built four star Tyne Bridge Hilton opens belatedly in 2004. One of the newest hotels already open, the esoteric Seaham Hall in East Durham, won a Good Food Guide "newcomer of the year" award soon after opening. Now it has been named AA Hotel of the year, while its oriental-style Serenity Spa has been acclaimed the world's best for style by a national travel publication. The Newcastle Copthorne is repeatedly recognised as one of the best of its parent group, and the newly opened £13m De Vere Village Hotel and Leisure Club at Cobalt Park on North Tyneside was a best hotel finalist in a property magazine's 2003 leisure estate awards. Corporate entertainment The region has more than 80 major venues suitable for meetings, seminars and conferences, ranging in style from Georgian to 21st Century. Up to 10,000 people at a time can be accommodated at the biggest venue - the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle, which also serves as a major exhibition centre. On Teesside, the Tall Trees Hotel can take 2,000 at a time, and the other locations range from hotels, art galleries and country retreats to town halls and university campus buildings. Corporate participation facilities range from archery to yachting and take in such diverse activities as clay pigeon shooting, paintballing - dog, horse and Scalextric racing.

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