The Visit Hull and East Yorkshire (VHEY) Advisory Board gathered on August 6 at Connexin Live, Hull, to review progress and explore future opportunities for the region’s visitor economy.
Expanding business support for tourism enterprises
The Board heard how nearly 500 tourism businesses have engaged with VHEY’s Business Support Team over the past two years, with three-quarters of them being microbusinesses. Support has ranged from tailored workshops and mentoring to energy audits and grant funding, totalling £500,000 across 49 businesses.
From September, a refreshed programme of workshops will be rolled out, focusing on AI, marketing, selling, social media and business start-up essentials such as finance and legal guidance. A new supply chain network has also been created to encourage businesses to buy and trade locally. Board members welcomed the progress and agreed to form a small working group to work more closely with the Business Support Team, ensuring that the package continues to respond directly to the needs of the sector.
Insights from X Design Week
VHEY representatives who attended the recent X Design Week in Newcastle shared valuable insights into how digital technologies are reshaping the tourism landscape. Presentations highlighted the growing role of AI in visitor planning, the importance of immersive storytelling and opportunities for destinations to connect with younger audiences through gaming and digital experiences.
One standout example came from Atout France, which has developed a conversational AI travel assistant to help visitors plan trips. This underlined the importance of trust and purpose when using AI tools in tourism.
The Board reflected on how these lessons could help Hull and East Yorkshire enhance visitor experiences, build stronger brand visibility and prepare for changing traveller behaviours.
Looking ahead to the Tourism Conference
The Board also looked forward to the next VHEY Tourism Conference, scheduled for March 2026. The event will focus on “AI & Digital” as its central theme, building on the learning from X Design Week and VHEY’s own workshops.
Members discussed potential speakers, the importance of considering both the opportunities and challenges of AI – including environmental impacts – and the need for practical sessions showing businesses how to apply new technologies in day-to-day operations.
Next steps
Chair Chris Blacksell also updated the Board on ongoing engagement with the Hull and East Yorkshire Mayor and Combined Authority to ensure the visitor economy has a strong voice in regional decision-making.
The next Board meeting will take place on October 8, 2025.
