THE tourism industry in the vast rural Ryedale area, already worth more than £100m a year, is set for a boost next year.

The district council has this week sent out the first of 60,000 brochures to promote its holiday industry to potential tourists in the UK and abroad.

In addition, 300,000 leaflets featuring visitor attractions in the district are being sent to tourist information centres nationwide, said Sarah Ward, Ryedale's tourism officer.

Ryedale will also be taking part in the Outdoor Yorkshire Campaign to get more people to spend time in the country, as well as promoting the district's cuisine through the Ryedale Food and Drink festival in May.

The brochure promotes the area as North Yorkshire's Natural Attraction and features a wide range of accommodation, as well as attractions and places to visit.