The first tranche of calls are now open for the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Enterprise Partnership’s (the LEP) European funding for growing the rural tourism economy, which totals almost £10 million between now and 2020.
Local tourism businesses are invited to apply for grants between £35,000 and £500,000. We are looking for businesses with plans to bring more visitors to the area, encourage those visitors to stay longer, and provide them with more to do.
With around 10 per cent of North Yorkshire and the East Riding’s economy coming from tourism and the associated sectors, our region is a thriving destination for day trippers, those looking for a weekend away as well as visitors from further afield.
We want to see plans that will help us meet our ambitions of attracting more visitors to the area and for our tourism sector to prosper; growing faster than our wider economy.
There is more than £800,000 available in this round of funding, which runs betweennow and the end of 2015. This won’t be the only chance to apply, as there are plans for more calls to be opened in 2016, including further similar calls for tourism, as well as other calls to boost rural businesses.
Jane Lady Gibson, LEP Board member and Chair of Make It York said:
As a region, we have more than 200 years’ experience of welcoming visitors to North Yorkshire and the East Riding. And with some of the UK’s best-loved coastline, two national parks as well as much more off the beaten path, we have a bright future too.
This funding provides us with a great opportunity to both attract more tourists, and encourage them to visit more frequently by boosting our attractions and capitalising on the assets we already have.
The first of these calls focuses on tourism infrastructure, the second provides grants for tourism businesses that are looking to work together to attract visitors. The overall purpose of investing in these businesses is to create more jobs in rural areas.
About the funding and calls:
- The tourism infrastructure call is open until 8 January 2016. The tourism cooperation call is open until 31 December 2015. Applications can be made through the GOV.UK website.
- There is up to £362,000 value of funding is available through the tourism infrastructure call. Grants will be available for this call from £35,000 up to £140,000.
- There is up to £500,000 value of funding is available through the tourism cooperation call. Grants will be available for this call from £35,000 up to £500,000.
- GOV.UK gives you details on how to apply, the application deadlines are 21 December 2015 and 8 January 2016.
- Before applicants can submit an application for a grant from the Growth Programme, they will need to register on Rural Payments. If the applicant is already registered on Rural Payments, they will not need to do this again.
For information and support with your application, please contact:
Pip Betts Programme funding co-ordinator York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership
pip.betts@eastriding.gov.uk 07825 011961
