'York's not an awful tourist trap – it's a great city'
Tourists gathered as York Minster
'York's not an awful tourist trap – it's a great city'
It was a bit of an eye-opener to read the letter in The Press, October 22, "Tourists’ verdict on York: ‘It’s awful - too busy’", from a York tourist guide, based on what they have heard from visitors.
Coming from someone who leads and listens to tourists it’s noteworthy in spite of the recent statistic that shows footfall in this city for January to June 2026 dropped eight per cent year-on-year. I understand visitor numbers to certain major York attractions are also down.
I know so many York people who avoid going into their city unless it’s really necessary. Is the volume of ‘outsiders’ keeping out York’s citizens and shoppers?
A familiar claim is that York is first for tourists and second for its own population. Fewer 'Yorkies’ venturing into York would also affect footfall.
Here are a few of the questions that might be raised from these concerns. Is York attracting too many of the wrong sort of tourist? What proportion of the negative side of York is down to outsiders? How does York measure up to similar, though not as intensively visited cities, such as Bath, Durham, Norwich, Chester, Lincoln etc although other factors would be in play.
Compare and contrast. Among other matters raised in the guide’s letter are the old chestnuts of the lack of public toilets and the general ‘muckiness’ of this city over which issues successive councils have unsuccessfully wrestled.
However, mightn’t the turnover of empty shop and business units cut either way. Why do so many retail businesses come and go?
After all that I’m not sure whether I’m coming or going but I am sure that despite all this York is a great city!
Middlethorpe Drive,
York
Recommended reading:
- 'I didn't think it would be this busy, it's awful': Tourists' verdict on York
- Don't bother visiting York – it is a muck hole with fag ends, litter and weeds'
- York in Broom’: Call for award to tackle litter and weeds in 'muck hole' city
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