We are proud to be the headline sponsors of this year’s Welcome to Yorkshire annual conference, Y14, and to celebrate this special year for tourism in Yorkshire have commissioned some new research[2] that reveals just how crucial Internet connectivity is to businesses. Comparing all the elements that are crucial to the smooth running of a business, over three quarters (77%) of businesses name connected technology as one of the most critical elements of their business. Surprisingly, having good technology achieved 23% more than securing the right staff, which only scored 54% among the 100 surveyed entertainment, leisure, hospitality and retail businesses in Yorkshire. Over the past year, 68% of businesses noted an increase in tourism in Yorkshire, with 70% expecting this to increase again this summer with the arrival of the Grand Départ. Alongside upgrades in technology, businesses in Yorkshire will be looking to extend their opening hours (43%), increase the number of staff they employ (40%) and offer discounted rates to drive custom (27%). In approaching what is sure to be a very busy summer this year, nearly two thirds (64%) of businesses are going to be upgrading their technology ahead of the predicted influx of tourists. There are a healthy number of businesses that take notice of the positive effects of having information available online, with 65% agreeing that being online has improved people’s awareness of their services. Additionally, nearly 9 out of 10 businesses (87%) gain revenue via online sales or bookings, with half (49%) agreeing that a strong online presence for all Yorkshire businesses will help encourage more visitors to the area. Nick Silverwood, Head of Business at Plusnet commented,
“It is encouraging to see how the Yorkshire business community is benefitting from bringing more of their services online and how forward thinking they are in embracing connected technology to further improve their income. It really highlights that a business’ connectivity is critical to its success. At Plusnet we work hard to provide reliable, affordable business broadband solutions with around the clock support to keep things running smoothly at the busiest of times.”
Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said:
“It’s great to see that our diverse tourism and hospitality businesses are really harnessing technology and using that to drive up business and spread the word about what they do. Yorkshire will be the focus of global attention when the Grand Départ of the Tour de France begins right here and communication technology will play a key role in making the most of this worldwide advert for the county.”
Do you own a business in Yorkshire? Let us know what preparations you’re making for this Summer’s excitement with a comment below [1] 77% of respondents selected either ‘internet/wi-fi’ or ‘payments over wi-fi’ as items that are most critical to the smooth running of their business [2] Research carried out by Vanson Bourne via telephone interviews, with a sample of 100 entertainment, leisure, hospitality and retail businesses in Yorkshire during the time of 7th-21st March