Member Article

‘Geordie Shore’ could damage local tourism

The region’s tourism industry could the latest victim of the ‘Geordie Shore’ effect.

Almost 20 million visitors come to the North East annually and contribute over a billion pounds to the local economy.

However, there are fears that the binge drinking and promiscuous imagery portrayed in the MTV reality show could dissuade tourists from coming to Newcastle, a city which has worked hard to distance itself from its reputation as a party city. While the consequences of Geordie Shore have yet to be evidenced with concrete figures, other parts of the country have already experienced the effects of reality television.

Hotels.com has recently linked the popularity of “The Only way is Essex”, which purports to document the lives of rich, glamorous twenty-something’s living in Brentford, to a rise in visitors to the area.

Sarah Stewart, chief executive of NewcastleGateshead Initiative said: “It would be disappointing to see outdated stereotypes pervade, especially as NewcastleGateshead has established itself internationally at the forefront of cultural regeneration.”

Ms Stewart went on to say: “As Geordie Shore has only recently launched it’s impossible to say what impact the programme will have on the local visitor economy.”

“However, we hope that the growing combination of print, online and broadcast coverage of NewcastleGateshead helps to showcase the full breadth and diversity of experiences on offer here.”

The region was recently referred to as the ‘hipster capital of the North’ in the new Lonely Planet Great Britian guidebook, citing the city’s culture, heritage and sophistication as reasons to visit.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .