Tourism gets a boost from the charm of Herriot on TV

IT HAS already proved a ratings winner with television viewers and now it looks as though it could be responsible for a surge in tourism for Yorkshire.

All Creatures Great and Small returned to the nation’s screens this month and with it has come a renewed interest in the Yorkshire Dales, where the period drama is set.

The Welcome to Yorkshire tourism agency revealed yesterday that online traffic to its website has had a 75 per cent surge year on year for September. And its Yorkshire Dales pages have shown a 90 per cent rise in views for the first 16 days of the month, compared to the same period last year.

Chief executive James Mason said: “The power of TV and film shot in the county and its impact on audiences across the globe is colossal. All Creatures Great and Small captures a positivity and a love of the awe- inspiring outdoors, which is welcome now more than ever.”

The first episode of the reboot, which is based on the books by Dales vet Alf Wight, was watched by 3.3m viewers at its peak – Channel 5’ s biggest audience in almost five years.

Other dramas filmed in Yorkshire, including Gentleman Jack, Victoria and Downton Abbey, have also seen a surge in interest in the region.