High praise by minister for Calderdale's booming tourism appeal

Figures released earlier this year placed the overall value of Calderdale’s tourist economy at £328m per year, with some £253m of that going directly to local businesses.

READ: Tourism in Calderdale worth £328 million per yearMichael Ellis, who visited popular tourist attractions Eureka! and the Piece Hall during a whistle-stop tour of West Yorkshire, said: “Tourism is booming in this part of the country and Halifax is playing a big part in that.

“It’s no secret that Yorkshire in general is doing particularly well on that front. It’s worth hundreds of millions of pounds to the economy on a local level and bringing people to these places is what we want to do more of.”

Recent trends for Calderdale show an overall increase in year-on-year tourism spending, driven by an increase in day trips and visits by those from overseas.

Overall, an estimated 333,000 visitors stayed overnight in Calderdale last year and of these, 52,000 were visitors from overseas, whilst a staggering 6.3 million people took day trips in the borough.

One thing driving Calderdale’s economy forward in recent years has been a staggering number of events laid on by local businesses and organisations.

The regeneration of the Piece Hall, which Mr Ellis himself described as “an astonishing achievement”, has led the way on this, with an already buldging portfolio of events ranging from community food markets to big-name concerts.

READ: Is Halifax's tourist boom bringing professional street beggars to the town? Speaking at the first anniversary of the Piece Hall’s re-opening earlier this month, its Head of Events Molly Rigg said: “It’s been such an incredible year and there’s so much more to come from us. I know other places have stuff going on in the next few months, too.

“There is an awful lot that goes into putting these things on that people may not realise. We’ve got such a good, hardworking team and its lovely to see people people from all over come to enjoy this space and the things we put on.

“I love working here and it really does feel like there is something really exciting happening.”

READ: Piece Hall chief executive on her vision for Halifax