In July 2014 the Tour de France will come to Yorkshire, the country’s largest county, having only previously visited the south of England in the past. This will be the time for the North of England to shine.
The race will begin in Leeds on 5th July and cyclers will ride 190KM to Harrogate. On the 6th July the race will continue from York and finish 200km away in Sheffield.
Around three billion people watch the cycle race on TV each year, with thousands lining the streets to watch top cyclist speed past. Of course, these street watchers will need somewhere to eat and sleep, so what does this mean for Yorkshire’s businesses?
Even though the race is 522 days away, people have already started enquiring about hotel rooms. The Hilton in Sheffield has already had several people wanting to book a room during the Grand Départ and expects to have all 128 rooms booked for the event. Instead of making bookings now, the hotel chain has added people to a waiting list.
Speaking of the interest so far, Danielle Holman, reservations at the Hilton, said: “We’ve had people ringing up trying to book, asking for prices.
“At the moment we’re not taking bookings for it. We’re putting people on a waiting list because we’re expecting it to be ridiculous around then.”
It is not yet known if the hotels in Yorkshire will increase their prices for the event, like London hotels did during the Olympics. One spokesman for a hotel located near The Hilton, The Holiday Inn Royal Victoria explained, “We’re hoping to be full. That’s our main thing – full at a good rate.”
Yorkshire is already a top tourist destination with around 40 million people visiting the region every year. Top attractions include nine racecourses, six national museums, six Michelin star restaurants, three theme parks and of course the breath-taking scenery.
Are you a fan of the Tour de France? Will you be visiting Yorkshire in 2014 to see the Grand Départ?
