The Chamber led a trade delegation of thirty members to New York City (NYC) to foster greater trade links between the City of York and New York, and promote West and North Yorkshire as a place to visit, live, work, study and invest in. The trip was organised ahead of the US elections so topics such as trade agreements, tariffs, supply-chain disruption, subsidies, protectionism and geo-political tensions could all be discussed.  

York and New York have had long-standing historical links for 100 years, and to celebrate, a ledger stone created by Chamber members, York Minster Masons, was unveiled on the final day of our trade mission. The news of the trade mission, along with the ledger stone, caught the attention of New York Mayor Adams and other dignitaries who joined our delegation at an event held at St Thomas Church 5th Avenue. 

In addition to the member delegation, the Chamber collaborated with members in the UK to find ways of showcasing them in the US, developing a schedule of eight events, over six days with members. These events included economic briefings with HSBC, hospitality talks with Merlin Madam Tussauds, and networking with City Cruises, giving members exposure throughout the visit. 

One of the most significant events during the NYC mission was the mini “Great Yorkshire Show” event, which was held in the British Consulate General’s residence. Chamber members were given the opportunity to showcase their Yorkshire businesses and demonstrate why Yorkshire is such an attractive region to invest in. Working with the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce enhanced our reach to local businesses in NYC, as they shared our event invite with their contacts. This innovative trade mission brought businesses from the UK and the US together, which has resulted in significant orders for our members and travel partnerships being made. Examples include Sound Leisure securing a £100k order, York Gin finding a distributor in the US, and Castle Howard, The Grand Hotel and Grantley Hall Hotel have agreed to develop a City & Country itinerary for North American travel agents. These outcomes continue to be measured. Overall, the impact of this trade mission on local Yorkshire businesses is positive, with growth in these markets expected as a result. 

All delegates selected a sponsorship package to generate income for the Chamber. These packages varied in cost, based on number of delegates per company, PR quotes, speaker and video opportunities. All delegates paid for their own flights and accommodation. This trade mission offered a member benefit to those who attended and delivered a significant profit for the Chamber. In addition, one of our delegation signed up for Chamber membership ahead of the mission, as they had seen the press coverage in the local press and wanted to join the mission. As this was open to Chamber members only, they were keen to join the Chamber and take advantage of the benefits. During the visit, businesses that attended some of the events as non-members signed up as Chamber Supporters, an initiative launched early this year to assist with membership recruitment. Feedback from those who attended has been outstanding, and a plan to look at other missions are underway. A couple of quotes are below “The morning meeting with VisitBritain was very valuable – it was great to hear about their upcoming campaigns and how we can maximise on that.” Sarah Baines, Grantley Hall “The planned events were amazing and gave us insights into businesses and connections with people that we would not normally be able to access” Chris Black, Sound Leisure  

This trip received significant PR coverage and was picked up by some major accounts, such as the High Commissioner and the UK Government, helping to boost Chambers’ brand worldwide. 

This project continues to deliver results. There is a plan for members of the New York delegation to visit York later this year, allowing our delegation to showcase what they have to offer in Yorkshire, in person. Planning for this event is in the early stages with those members who joined the trade mission.