It’s official. Yorkshire Tourist Board’s (YTB) Yorkshire Tourism Conference was hailed a success when around 125 top names in British tourism marketing gathered at York Racecourse on Tuesday (19 February 2008).

The conference was presided over by leading businesswoman and chairman of YTB, Yorkshire powerhouse Judith Donovan CBE. The annual conference is the leading event of the tourism industry calendar, keeping Yorkshire tourism businesses in touch with developments in the industry and giving them the opportunity to contribute to the future shape of the industry.

‘Building a Bright Future’ was the theme of the conference and speakers covered topics such as marketing, PR, crisis management, brand building, customer service, quality and customer relationship management. The one day conference provided the perfect platform to disseminate key information relating to the Yorkshire tourism industry and provide valuable insight into how the ‘smarter marketer’ approach to business can be adopted to ensure that the Yorkshire tourism industry keeps one step ahead of the competition.

Simon Woodroffe, founder of Yotel, Gatwick Airport’s first hotel providing a mix between a first class airline cabin and budget hotel and the Yo! brand really stole the show. He presented delegates with a new, exciting, inspirational and very personal insight into how drive, enthusiasm, creativity, fun and risk were collectively put together to effectively dispel criticism and realise an overnight phenomena.

Joanna Royle, Marketing Director, YTB, said: "Another fantastic conference pulled off by Yorkshire Tourist Board. Delegates who attended the one day event enjoyed a fantastic day with inspirational and engaging master classes and thought provoking presentations on a wide range of topics.

"The conference demonstrated the confidence that YTB and its partners have in the successful future of tourism in Yorkshire. Coupled with YTB’s commitment to further strengthen its links with key regional partners and by utilising smarter marketing, leading PR and customer service excellence we can work together to build upon the values of the Yorkshire brand and position Yorkshire as a destination of choice in the future."

Speakers at the conference included:

• Simon Woodroffe, founder of Yotel! And the Yo! Brand.
• Linda Pollard OBE, Deputy Chairman, Yorkshire Forward
• Christopher Rodrigues, Chairman, VisitBritain
• Chris Pilling, Chief Executive, First Direct
• Philip Meeson, Chief Executive, Jet2.com
• Paul Gogarty, Paul Gogarty Communications / Former Chief Travel Writer, Daily Telegraph