More international tourists have started visiting Yorkshire, research has revealed.

During the nine months up to September 2011 the number of these visits increased by 12% while the national average rose by 4%.

This tourism boost has also provided a considerable lift to the regional economy, with the spend rising by 29% compared to 7% nationally during the same time period.

Data from the International Passenger Survey also revealed there was a yearly climb of almost 40% in the time tourists spent in the Yorkshire region, compared to the 5% average for the rest of the country.

The increases for Yorkshire have been triggered by more tourists travelling from France, Germany and the Far East for a visit.

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, described how the area’s strong push towards increasing tourism and showcasing the outstanding beauty of the county has paid dividends.

“Not many people would have thought a decade ago that we would be talking about Yorkshire being one of the world’s number one choices of destination for tourists,” he said.

“But that’s something we’ve always believed in, and something that has spurred on our marketing, PR and promotion of our county to a global audience – last month saw us scoop a World Travel Award for just that.”