The agency went into administration in early 2022 after local council leaders decided to withdraw public funding for the private organisation following years of financial and reputational problems. After being established as the successor organisation to the Yorkshire Tourist Board, it was originally led by Sir Gary Verity who received a knighthood for bringing the Tour de France to Yorkshire in 2014.
Claims totalling £9,750 from former members of staff listed as preferential creditors have been repaid in full. A ‘Statement of Affairs’ document published on Companies House in April 2022 revealed at that stage that Welcome to Yorkshire had £2.1m of identified debts to 67 different creditors include £1.3m to North Yorkshire County Council in regard to the North Yorkshire Pension Fund it administers.