A LEADING hotel group believes that the ITV1 drama Heartbeat has contributed to Yorkshire's emergence as its most popular Easter Break destination this year.
Ramada Jarvis has noted a rise in online bookings for its Yorkshire hotels when Heartbeat or related TV dramas bring the dales and moors into people's sitting rooms.
With only weeks to go before the holiday, the group reported high occupancy levels at most of its Yorkshire properties, with York forecasting more than 90 per cent occupancy during the Easter weekend.
Yorkshire has long been the setting for such Sunday night TV programmes as Heartbeat and Last of the Summer Wine, and the county that inspired Jane Eyre and Emmerdale is become increasingly popular with tourists, following the foot-and-mouth crisis.
David Andrews, chief executive of Yorkshire Tourist Board, said: "Broad, beautiful Yorkshire is one of the top filming locations in Britain. Its scenery and heritage, its character and sense of pride are all larger than life.
"Yorkshire's 'on screen' heritage makes the region an extremely popular choice with many and has a large part to play in the success of the region's tourism industry.
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