Leeds isn’t ready for mass Tourism
By Darren Cronian on Thursday, June 28th, 2007

Five years ago, you could count the number of Leeds city centre hotels on one hand now every time I turn around there’s a new hotel being built. There’s obviously a demand for them, and I think this proves that tourism within Leeds is on the up.

Leeds isn't ready for mass Tourism

But…

Whilst increasing tourism is great for the local economy, I think it’s obvious that we need to improve the public transport system, because it’s a joke. Two carriage trains and single deck buses arrive at peak times, or they don’t turn up, and I’ve yet to travel to a city or country with such a bad public transport system.

Another reason is our attitude towards tourists. You travel to the Lake District and the bus drivers are fabulous – they tell you the best tickets to buy, gave you information about the best attractions, and wanted to help you.

Compare that with Leeds, and you’d be lucky if someone stopped to help you with directions, and if you found a friendly bus driver, well, you’ve more chance winning the lottery than finding one of them.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Leeds, and it is a fabulous, lively city, but today, I was embarrassed when a Spanish girl asked if the bus went to the airport, he said no, closed the door and drove off – no time to say, which bus she should get, and her face was a picture – I just shook my head in disgust.


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13 responses to “Leeds isn’t ready for mass Tourism”

Kevin May | 29 June, 2007 at 6:27 am

I would suspect the new hotels are aimed at business travellers (4 star and above).

Leeds is not going to attract the “mass market” with expensive boutique and high class hotels anyway.

The rude bus drivers are not going to help either. :-)

Darren Cronian | 29 June, 2007 at 7:00 am

Not all of the hotels are 4 star and above.

Leeds has grown in popularity as a place to come for stag and hen parties, plus shopping weekends. We get coach loads of people coming in every weekend for theatre trips too.

It’s also said to be the business capital of the north, so would be why some of the hotels are targeting business travellers.

Kevin May | 29 June, 2007 at 7:09 am

Do you need to be nice to stag and hen parties?!?! :-)

Anyway, perhaps you will find the rowdy behaviour of stag and hen parties will do as much damage to the image of Leeds as a mass market tourist destination as the rude bus drivers/poor performing football team. ;-)

Darren Cronian | 29 June, 2007 at 7:12 am

Those stag and hen parties could come back for a theatre or shopping break because they loved the city so much, or they could tell family and friends what a great city it is.

A bit of sick on the street is a small thing if it increases our tourism. [Im joking!]

Darren Cronian | 29 June, 2007 at 7:14 am

The point I am trying to get across is that a city like Leeds has improved considerably over the 10 years [you'd know that ifyou left that southern border ;)] and that if we are to rave about Leeds being voted as UK’s most favourite city, then we need to improve public transport and our attitude towards tourists.

Kevin May | 29 June, 2007 at 7:16 am

“Hey, Mum, Dad - you should go to Leeds. You can be sick on the street there! Oh, and there’s a museum and the Dales not far away.”

:-)

Kevin May | 29 June, 2007 at 7:22 am

Darren: I understand your point entirely. Just having some Friday fun with you!

Manchester (especially) is my favourite city in the UK. And it is doing a reasonable job at promoting itself to inbound tourists.

VisitBritain also works well within its constraints as a government-funded organisation to promote other areas of the country away from the capital.

[Darren: If I wasn't so busy responding to your blog all the time I would explore the UK even more than I have already - but please do not assume Londoners are hardwired not to know anything about life outside the M25. :-)]

Darren Cronian | 29 June, 2007 at 7:25 am

I know you are Kev :)

So it’s not true that Londoners get nose bleeds when they venture anything outside of Watford? :D

Like we were discussing the other day about nationalities when they are abroad, we shouldn’t assume that all Londoners are Northern-haters just because of a few that are.

Kevin May | 29 June, 2007 at 7:29 am

and the rest: first the nose starts bleeding, then random limbs start falling off, and then most people from the London area just spontaenously combust, such is the pressure on their bodies once they edge towards Yorkshire and Oop North.

Darren Cronian | 29 June, 2007 at 7:36 am

Hahaha

That made me splurt my coffee out [is there such a word as splurt?]

Anyway, time I headed off to the day job.

Lee Harrison (owner Select World Travel) | 29 June, 2007 at 9:24 am

Now in Switzerland Darren, ask about your train Journeys, not only do they run like clockwork, the train conductor will tell you which station you have to change at and which platform you should be on to make your next connection.

Can’t ever see that happening at Reading Station!!

Wasn’t a Bus driver recently short-listed by Metro for his Blog on life as a Bus driver? Was a great insight from their point of few of just how bad the great british public can be as well!!

Darren Cronian | 1 July, 2007 at 3:51 am

Lee, yep, no matter where I have travelled, public transport seems to be much better. It could because I am not in a rush on holiday or going to work, so the times don’t really matter, but they seemed much more organised.

Yes the Metro blog winner was the insight of a bus driver, and I realise they must get some idiots, but it pays nothing to have some manners about them.

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