Shipley MP criticises tourism leaflet for not promoting Aire Valley (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Shipley MP criticises tourism leaflet for not promoting Aire Valley

2:01pm Tuesday 16th March 2010 in

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Tourism chiefs in Yorkshire have been criticised by an MP for leaving historical Saltaire and major towns in the Aire Valley off one of its official maps.

Shipley, Bingley, Keighley and Skipton do not appear on the map, published by Welcome To Yorkshire to attract people to the county.

There is no mention of the area – which includes Saltaire, one of Yorkshire’s only two World Heritage sites – while similar-sized West York-shire towns such as Knottingley and Castleford are included.

Shipley MP Philip Davies has held a meeting with Welcome To Yorkshire’s chief executive, Gary Verity, in a bid to get Saltaire put on the map.

Mr Davies said: “I spoke to Mr Verity and one of the things that I was complaining about is that it doesn’t even appear on the maps they are producing.”

The map is included in a leaflet aimed at encouraging students to Yorkshire.

It mentions leisure and entertainment opportunities, such as shopping in Bradford, Leeds and Sheffield, museums and galleries and heritage sites like York Minster and Harewood House, near Leeds.

Mr Davies said more needed to be done to promote Saltaire to visitors.

His criticism comes after Tom Riordan, chief executive for Yorkshire Forward, said Bradford city centre was its main priority.

A spokesman for Welcome To Yorkshire, set up by Yorkshire Forward as part of a new £30million strategy last year, said: “We had a positive meeting with Mr Davies and we are doing everything we can to promote Saltaire.”

The Telegraph & Argus reported last month that Saltaire would get a tourist information centre after a campaign by residents.