A CONFERENCE will aim to extend the drive to turn the North- East into a green business hub to tourism.

Pure Profit 2010, organised by regional development agency One North East, aims to inspire tourism businesses to pioneer green holidays and short breaks.

Tourism is worth nearly £4bn to the North-East economy, employing more than 60,000 people in the region, and in May last year it emerged it was the only area outside London to show an increase in visitor numbers in the previous year.

Pure Profit 2010 is being delivered by tourism agency Visit County Durham on behalf of One North East and is sponsored by Natural England.

The conference is designed to inspire tourism businesses to embed environmentally-friendly practices.

Janet Cummings, business performance co-ordinator at One North East, said: “More and more consumers are now environmentally aware and they are looking to reduce their carbon footprint whenever possible, even on holiday, leading many to choose domestic short breaks instead of overseas trips.

“As this tourism trend grows it’s vital for North-East England to be known nationally as a place that offers a high-quality, ethical and green experience for visitors.”

Last year, the North-East accommodation businesses which were members of the Green Tourism Business Scheme recorded occupancy rates 19 per cent higher than non-accredited businesses.

A recent pan-European survey by electrical goods manufacturer Samsung found that a third of consumers would prefer to opt for an eco-friendly hotel, demonstrating that green credentials have a major impact in influencing the decisions of holidaymakers.

It comes as Brignall Mill, in Teesdale, County Durham, a luxury self-catering holiday cottage, was last week named in the best Small Places to Stay category on the Guardian’s Green Travel List 2010. This is a definitive guide to outstanding green travel companies.

Owners Jane and Will Weston produce most of the heat and electricity for their mill-turnedcottage, using Hydropower.

The North-East is aiming to turn itself into a hub for green businesses.

This will include electric cars, windpower and photovoltaics – or solar power.

The conference takes place on Thursday, March 18, at the Rivergreen Centre, Aykley Heads, in Durham, a multi-award winning green business centre, and features speakers from the worlds of tourism, environmental research and sustainable business practices.