The problem with folk from the north east is that many are not willing to try new places. Take the Banjul flight on 20th April, they are less than half price to holidays / flights from Manchester for a holiday over Easter - it's just not selling!
Give them Benidorm or Majorca and they will snap your hand off! Look at the routes we have lost with Easyjet - Prague, Budapest, Krakow to name a few, I know Jet2 have re-introduced the PRG & KRK routes but until people start trying different areas we will struggle to attract new leisure routes.
I am a toonie born and bred, I am just saying this as an observation having been a travel agent for nearly 20 years.