Visits to York’s tourist attractions and city centre footfall have both taken a hit so far this year.
Data in a Make It York report showed 15.08m people had been recorded in York city centre up to June this year, a year-on-year fall of 8 per cent.
Almost 972,800 people visited attractions up to June, down 17 per cent compared to 2025, though the amount rose by two per cent year-on-year from April to June.
A report from the city’s tourism and events body stated work was ongoing to showcase York as a world-class destination internationally.
It comes as part of an update on Make It York’s work which is set to be discussed by councillors next Monday, 12 October.
Data showed 2.47 million people had been recorded inParliament Street between the start of this year and June, 28 per cent less than during the first half of 2025.
Footfall from April to June was down 27 per cent year-on-year, to 1.37 million, though it rose by 5 per cent year-on-year in June from around 518,000 to 542,000.
Micklegate saw a one per cent rise in footfall during the first half of this year compared to 2025, rising to 1.3 million.
The second quarter of this year, from April to June, saw a 4 per cent increase to about 721,000.
15 per cent fall
Visits to big attractions in York including Clifford’s Tower, the** Jorvik Viking Centreand the National Railway Museum** fell 15 per cent year-on-year.
Around 909,600 people visited big attractions from January to June this year and 585,635 went from April to June, 8 per cent more than the same period in 2025.
Small attractions such as the Barley Hall,** Fairfax Houseand York Army Museum** collectively drew in 63,192 visitors in the first half of 2026, down 30 per cent year-on-year.
A year-on-year fall of 49 per cent to 29,338 was recorded for the second quarter of 2026.
Occupancy rates in self-catered properties averaged 41.6 per cent between January and June this year, 5 per cent less than the same period in 2025.
Rates from April to June this year averaged 46.5 per cent, a year-on-year fall of 6 per cent.
Listings for self-catering properties rose by one per cent year-on-year to 2,288 during the first half of this year and by two per cent to 2,319 during the second quarter.
Demographic figures for April to August showed Generation X, between 45 and 60 years old, made up 30 per cent of all those who had either visited or were planning to come to York.
Baby boomers, those aged 60 and over, and millennials between 29 and 44 years old accounted for 26 and 25 per cent of visitors respectively.
The York Visitor Survey also showed 47 per cent of people who came or were planning to travel to the city were couples and 28 per cent were families with children.
Solo travellers accounted for 18 per cent of the total.
In 2025, China was the leading origin country for visitors with 10.9 per cent of that year’s 1.58m international tourists coming from the country.
The US came second with 10.2 per cent, followed by Switzerland with 7.2 per cent, though people from countries not in the top ten collectively made up 32 per cent of all visitors.
International visitors accounted for 18 per cent of all visitors to York in 2025, compared to 14 per cent the previous year.
Overall, 8.8m people visited York in 2025, down by 6 per cent from 9.4m in 2024.
Visitor numbers in 2025 remained below pre-coronavirus levels, with 10.4m recorded in 2019.
Overnight stays grew by 9 per cent from 2024 to 2025, to 1.8 million of those visiting, while people coming for the day fell by 10 per cent to 7 million.