Visit Leeds launches campaign for extra nights at city hotels to encourage longer stays

The Be Our Guest campaign, which is part of Leeds City Council’s wider activity to welcome visitors back to the city and its surrounding areas post-lockdown, will see two of the city’s leading tourism organisations - Leeds’ official Destination Management Organisation (DMO) and LHVA - offer a three night stay for the price of two at 12 leading hotels across Leeds.

Both Be Our Guest and wider Council initiatives will focus on supporting Leeds’ unrivalled combination of amazing food and drink, inspiring culture, museums and galleries, family friendly activities and independent spirit.

The Be Our Guest campaign is a key initiative which is pivotal to Leeds City Council and Visit Leeds’ commitment to supporting these organisations as part of the city’s visitor economy recovery.

The campaign will run throughout the summer until Thursday September 2, with visitors able to secure an extra night’s stay free of charge when they book a visit between Sunday and Thursday.

According to the recent tourism survey carried out by Visit Leeds, the city’s DMO found that 75% of all respondents are on the hunt for a two to three night break, with a quarter of visitors eager to reacquaint themselves with the city’s well known food and drink scene.

Nearly half (41%) stated that they can’t wait to shop at Leeds’ unrivalled breadth of retailers, which range from well-known high street stores to iconic luxury brands, making Leeds a place of true recognition as we step out of lockdown.

The Be Our Guest initiative has been created in response to the growing demand for tourists visiting the city of Leeds, and will aim to offer a budget-friendly solution over the summer period.

Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Economy, Culture and Education, said: “The city’s Be Our Guest campaign provides the perfect opportunity for visitors to Leeds to experience the city at its best, whilst also supporting our ambitions as a leading city break destination.

"The leisure and hospitality sector in Leeds has worked hard to create environments for visitors to feel safe and secure by following government guidelines. It’s great to see this collaboration between Visit Leeds and LHVA which will contribute to the economic recovery of Leeds as restrictions start to ease. Leeds is a resilient city and I am confident we will emerge from the pandemic stronger, which will benefit everyone who lives and visits here.

“We hope that our Be Our Guest campaign can enhance Leeds’ status as the perfect destination for a staycation, and are encouraging visitors to take advantage of this great offer by staying longer to explore Leeds and experience the vibrant spirit of our city.”

Wayne Topley, Chair of Leeds Hotels & Venues Association (LHVA) said: “It has been a punishing year for the hospitality industry, and we are keen to get up and running once more, doing what we do, creating a comfortable, safe and welcoming environment for our guests and colleagues alike.

“Initiatives such as ‘Be Our Guest’ provide the perfect platform for us to showcase what we are really good at, both in terms of positive collaboration, and highlighting the sights, sounds and flavours of this great city.

“Uncertainty around international travel, whilst disappointing for many, provides us with a fantastic opportunity to welcome visitors back to our city centres and show them what we can do. LHVA is proud to be part of this campaign, and we will be supporting this initiative and many more throughout the year, to show foodies, families, culture and sports fans what we have to offer to provide them with the perfect stay.

“It is fantastic to see the City pulling together to show all that is truly great about Leeds. To my knowledge this is the most coordinated campaign we have seen for many years.

“As Honeypot locations become busier and busier it is great that we can offer wide open spaces, a range of cultural and family experiences and more importantly a great backdrop for any leisure break.”

To book your place and find out more information, go to the Visit Leeds website.