What's New for 2020 and Beyond
Discover England Fund Projects
A £40m Discover England Fund, announced by Government in 2015, is enabling the delivery of projects that put Durham on the world stage.
Through the development of world-class bookable products, responding to consumer needs and market opportunities, the Discover England Fund will drive growth in international tourism whilst also benefiting the domestic market.
England Originals
Durham City is one of 15 of England’s most historic cities featured in an innovative augmented reality (AR) app, and themed itineraries, as part of the ‘England Originals’ project. The app takes visitors on a journey through history, meeting some of the most fascinating characters from the past through trigger points at historic attractions.
England’s Coast
Inspiring visitors to discover one of the world's most amazing coastlines, Durham is one of the 8 unique coastal regions featured.
A unique itinerary builder with information on places to stay, eat and things to do enables the planning and booking of a bespoke visit.England’s World Heritage Story: The North
Tours that traverse the North of England showcase the region’s six UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The itineraries include single-day to four-day trips, which features Durham Castle and Cathedral; and a five-day spectacular that includes all six World Heritage sites.Explorer’s Road
Self-drive itineraries along the East Coast of England, from London to Northumberland via the A1 corridor which uncover fascinating stories from England’s past.
Featuring Durham City and the Durham Cathedral and Castle UNESCO World Heritage Site, the routes also explore the county’s historic towns of Bishop Auckland and Barnard Castle, showcasing world-class attractions including The Bowes Museum, The Auckland Project, Beamish Museum and Raby Castle.Manchester Gateway
Day and overnight excursions to Durham from Manchester Airport have been developed as part of the Manchester Gateway project.
The bookable itineraries by train showcase historic Durham City and award-winning Beamish, The Living Museum of the North.
Future developments
Remaking Beamish
Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, is celebrating the largest single investment ever seen with a £10.9million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the Remaking Beamish project.
The Auckland Project
Experience over a thousand years of history, art, culture and faith within the beautiful surroundings of The Auckland Project visitor destination.
Northern Saints Trails
Northern Saints Trails’ as the header, and then ‘Six new walking trails that bring to life the stories of the region’s saints, set against a backdrop of the best of the North East’s landscapes, heritage and food and drink