Yorkshire – Eastern Europe tourism trade initiative

Mr Staniursk is the managing director of the newly launched Narvia Tourist Info Centre and a social enterprise called the Yorkshire Tourist Organization in the UK with the help of the Growth and Prosperity in Rotherham project.

A bid to build tourism and trade links between Eastern Europe and Yorkshire has been launched in Rotherham.

The initiative is the brainchild of Mariusz Staniursk and colleagues Aleksandre Gierwat and Tomasz Kuc.

The European Union-funded project, run by Rotherham Investment Development Office, RiDO, operates the town’s ‘Soft Landing Zone,’ which helps dynamic, small, international companies that want to do business in the UK.

Narvia Tourist Info Centre is an event management business that plans to run exhibitions and conferences that will connect businesses in Eastern Europe and the UK, for mutual benefit.

The company is currently organising its first major exhibition, the Yorkshire Investment & Tourism Expo, which takes place at the Hilton hotel in Manchester on January 28 and 29 and will be attended by RiDO.

Yorkshire Tourist Organization, meanwhile, aims to encourage more tourists from Eastern European to visit Yorkshire.

Both organisations are based at Moorgate Crofts Business Centre, off Alma Road in Rotherham.

Soft Landing Zone business co-ordinator, Julia Millea, said: “Yorkshire Tourist Organization is a fantastic new venture, which should open up lots of opportunities for promoting Yorkshire to the Eastern European region.

“We have helped Mario in many ways which include offering the right professional environment, sourcing suppliers, language and cultural support and building business connections in the region.

Mariusz Staniursk said: “One of the reasons we chose to establish our business and social enterprise in Rotherham is because of the support available through RiDO.

“We have received ongoing help and support and RiDO has helped us to establish a good network of contacts here in Yorkshire.”