Bradford district's tourist attractions are bracing themselves for a boom in visitors this season.

And the likely conflict in the Gulf could have positive spin-offs for visitor numbers to honey-pots in the area, tourism bosses believe.

Popular hot spots throughout the district are already boasting an increase in interest, which reflects a survey carried out by the Country Land and Business Association.

It revealed that more than half the people interviewed nationally said they were this year more likely to holiday in, or visit, the countryside than last year.

And Anne Heald, owner of Saltaire Tourist Information Centre in Victoria Road, Saltaire, said this was something Bradford's World Heritage Site was already experiencing.

"We have noticed an increase in groups coming for tours from all parts of the country, such as the Lake District, Stockport and the South coast, as opposed to foreign parties," she said.

"But although we are busier than we were this time last year, the World Heritage Site status has yet to fully kick in and we're sure there will be an even bigger surge of tourists, possibly by summer.

"Saltaire has a lot to offer - history, its semi-rural location and the useful train link to other towns and cities."

The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway has already seen a 50 per cent increase in visitors in the first two months of this year.

K&WVR's Jim Shipley said: "I think there is some evidence to suggest that more people are likely to holiday in this country this year because of the global uncertainty over Iraq.

"The 50 per cent increase in visitors to the railway in January and February is a hell of a jump.

"One of the reasons is that we had a steam gala in February for the first time."

Bradford's National Museum of Photography, Film and Television is preparing itself for a surge of film fans coming over from Canada, Australia and America for Widescreen Weekend, this weekend, which is part of Bradford Film Festival.

East Riddlesden Hall property manager Janet Ritchie said 26,000 people visited the National Trust hall last year and this year they were hoping to exceed 27,000.

"In February we had a lot of inquiries to see if we were open at half-term, which we are not," she said.

"I think this reflects that more people are looking to get out to visitor centres and the countryside. "

Dorothy Fairburn, the Country Landowners Association's regional director, said: "Tourism is of growing importance to Yorkshire's rural economy and this is now more widely recognised, especially in those farming areas that suffered foot and mouth disease.