‘City of Surprises’ tourism campaign launched in an effort to attract visitors to Sunderland

Led by Sunderland City Council, it is hoped that it will attract additional visitors to the city will help support retail and leisure businesses that have been hard-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The campaign has been fully funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to promote the safe return of visitors to cities following the easing of coronavirus restrictions.

It features primarily outdoor spaces and a range of imagery captured by local photographers of sites such as Roker and Seaburn beaches, Hylton Castle and the Washington Wetland Centre will be presented to millions of consumers across the UK.

In total, over four million people visited Sunderland in 2020, a decrease of 54% on 2019, with the number of overnight stays standing at 241,000 – a 69% decrease.

It is estimated that tourism expenditure in Sunderland fell by almost £294m to £219m during the period.

Speaking about the launch, leader of Sunderland City Council, Cllr Graeme Miller said: “Sunderland has so much to offer as a place to visit and play, from some of the country’s best-kept beaches to a unique set of cultural assets such as The National Glass Centre and Washington Old Hall that have helped attract millions of people to the city over recent years.

“While our city economy has – like most others – felt the devastating impact of the pandemic, campaigns such as this will be key to driving our economic recovery as we re-emerge from the crisis and continue to support the industries that have really had to bear the brunt of Covid, such as our hospitality, leisure and tourism industries.

“Sunderland really does positively surprise people who visit it and this campaign will not only help shine a light on its many amazing assets to those outside of the region, but will also act as a reminder to those closer to home of all of the great things we have right here on our doorstep that we so often take for granted.”

For more information on Sunderland as a place to visit, visit: https://www.mysunderland.co.uk/plan-your-visit.

Support your Echo and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to all of our news and sport, see fewer ads, experience faster load times, test your brain with daily puzzles and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

The Sunderland Echo has been on Wearside since 1873, and your support means we can continue telling your stories for generations to come.

Click here to subscribe.