The north east is the first region to be recognised by VisitEngland in a government programme to establish a new structure for the UK tourism industry.
The new initiative gives three destination management organisations covering Newcastle, Durham and Northumberland nationally recognised official status with a stronger strategic relationship with VisitEngland.
They are the first organisations identified to help form a new national portfolio of strategic tourism bodies to be called Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs).
They will work in collaboration with local, regional and national stakeholders on shared priorities to support and grow the visitor economy.
Organisations will be reviewed on an annual basis to check their impact and the quality of operations.
The north east was confirmed in December as the pilot area for a new regional Destination Development Partnership tourism framework, which has resulted in the region receiving £2.25 million in additional funding.
VisitEngland director Andrew Stokes said: “LVEPs are at the heart of transforming the visitor economy landscape in England and we are delighted to welcome NewcastleGateshead Initiative (NGI), Visit County Durham and Visit Northumberland into the scheme, the first to gain the nationally recognised official LVEP status.
“We look forward to continuing our close collaboration as the LVEPs are established, providing ongoing support including a dedicated VisitEngland regional development lead.”
He added: “Great destinations are great places to live, work and to visit.
“Having the right national and local infrastructure in place to grow our visitor economy, in an inclusive, accessible and sustainable way, will ensure England continues to be a compelling destination for both domestic and international visitors.”
NewcastleGateshead Initiative chair John Marshall said: “It is fantastic that the north east is a trailblazer and is home to the first tourism organisations to be officially recognised by VisitEngland.
“This nationally recognised status acknowledges that NGI is operating at the highest level and will allow us to further support and boost the tourism sector.
“With one in four jobs in our city being in tourism and hospitality, it is critical that we work collaboratively to develop our offer and secure further investment. We look forward to working with the tourism industry to continue to grow our visitor economy, attracting more visitors to our fantastic city and creating more jobs for residents.”