‘Next Stop Durham’ is a new marketing campaign from Visit County Durham aiming to engage with travellers who may have passed through the county but not taken the time to stop and explore.

The campaign runs until spring 2025 and will include advertising on the London Underground and train stations on the east coast network.

Visit County Durham has teamed up with partners across the visitor economy for the campaign to help showcase the variety that exists in the county. This includes Locomotion, Raby Estates, The Auckland Project, and Beamish – The Living Museum of the North.

The campaign will highlight places to stay, the scenery, award-winning attractions, as well as exciting events and food and drink. It comes as the county prepares to co-host a nine-month international festival taking place across County Durham and Tees Valley in 2025 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the first journey on the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR).

Locomotion Railway Museum in Shildon is situated in the world’s first railway town, known as ‘the cradle of the railway’, and is the ideal location to explore the history and engineering of the railway. Locomotion will play a key role in the S&DR200 festival, hosting an exhibition highlighting Railway Firsts in recognition of the innovation at the heart of S&DR. Iconic locomotives and rail vehicles will be on display alongside one another showcasing 200 years of railway history.

Next Stop Durham will also promote the variety of accommodation on offer in the county, including campaign partners Seaham Hall Hotel and Spa, Radisson Blu Hotel, Durham and Lumley Castle.

As part of the campaign, Visit County Durham has created a dedicated section on its website with inspiring content to help plan a trip to the county – visit thisisdurham.com/nextstop