A PROJECT to boost tourism in the North-East was worth £109 million and supported more than 2,000 jobs, according to new research.

The Growing Tourism Locally campaign, backed by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund, ran from 2012 to 2015 and aimed to get more Brits to take more holidays in the North-East.

It meant tourism was worth £3.9 billion to the North-East in 2014, with 64 million visits helping to support 55,000 jobs.

Sarah Stewart, chief executive of the Newcastle Gateshead Initiative, said: “The Growing Tourism Locally programme provided a valuable opportunity to raise the profile of key North-East destinations and to attract and secure significant economic growth for the area.

“Tourism is the fourth largest sector of the regional economy and these latest results demonstrate both the success of our campaigns and the continued strength of the industry.”

Michelle Gorman, managing director of Visit County Durham, added: “These fantastic results are testament not only to the strength of the region’s tourism offer but also to the way in which our tourism industry came together to work in partnership.”

The campaign included images promoting Durham being displayed in London Underground and railway stations.