Monster success for Leeds event
Published: 21 March 2011
Frankenstein's Wedding Live in Leeds has been a monster success in promoting Leeds, according to the official tourism agency Welcome to Yorkshire.
The BBC produced event saw a live show performed at Kirkstall Abbey, which was simultaneously broadcast on BBC Three to an audience of millions.
A crowd of around 12,000 people from across the UK witnessed the major event, 2,000 of which were from the local area and led the wedding dance.
Early estimates suggest visitors could have spent in the region of half a million pounds during the weekend, with significant spend on food and drink, shopping and accommodation.
Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: "We worked hard to bring this great event to Leeds to raise the profile of the city and Yorkshire as a leading cultural destination.
"It will take some time to do a full evaluation of the financial impact on the city but the early indications are very promising.
"It is not just about the thousands of people who attended the event, or the millions who saw it on television - it is about changing some people's perceptions of Leeds and Yorkshire.
"We have highlighted Leeds as a vibrant city capable of staging world-class, contemporary cultural events."
The BBC event was supported by Leeds City Council, Marketing Leeds and Welcome to Yorkshire.
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Editors' Notes:
• Welcome to Yorkshire is the official tourism agency for Yorkshire, working to grow the county's visitor economy.
• Welcome to Yorkshire is funded by Yorkshire Forward, the Regional Development Agency charged with improving the Yorkshire and Humber economy.
• Key facts include:
• Tourism in Yorkshire is worth £7 billion annually
• The county's industry employs almost a quarter of a million people
• There are 216 million visits to Yorkshire each year
For more news and a free image bank www.yorkshire.com/mediacentre
For further information contact:
Dee Marshall - Head of Communications
Email: dmarshall@yorkshire.com
Direct Line: 0113 3223505
Mobile: 07950 325 901
Jo Francisco - Press Officer
Email: jfrancisco@yorkshire.com
Direct Line: 0113 322 3563
Mobile: 07769257327