VISITORS from across northern England and Scotland are being targeted in a new tourism campaign. Cumbria Tourism aims to generate early spring and Easter bookings for the area.
It is running promotions at key ‘hub/interchange’ rail and transport hubs in the North West, Yorkshire, North East and Scotland.
The campaign uses the slogan ‘The Place To Be’.
Stunning photography shows big tourist lures like landscapes, its food offer, adventure activities, outdoor family fun and culture.
It aims to influence visits to the tourist board's award-winning website www.golakes.co.uk .
Tourism officials said the campaign would use giant posters, as well as a range of social media platforms using the hashtag #theplacetobe.
The campaign has been worked up in conjunction with Kendal-based creative agency Cactus Creative, based in Kendal.
Andy Smith, owner of Cactus Creative, said: “The brief provided by CT wanted us to highlight the huge range of things to see and do in the county. And by building on this client relationship and using our design expertise, we think the work we have produced with Cumbria Tourism shows what we are about as a company and what the area is about as a place to visit.’’
The visitor push is the next phase of a joint campaign with VisitEngland.
It is part of the Government’s regional growth fund marketing project ‘Growing Tourism Locally’.
Ian Stephens, Cumbria Tourism’s managing director, said: "The joint campaign with VisitEngland has enabled The Lake District, Cumbria, to project itself to a wide and varied audience around the UK.
"While the Lake District, Cumbria, is one of the UK's strongest and most recognised destination brands, we can’t rest on our laurels. It’s now more important than ever for us to keep our offering fresh, and the strength of our campaign work plays a big part in that.’’
Last year, tourism business performance across the county saw B&Bs report a five per cent rise, while the camping and caravanning sector was up one per cent.
In some sectors, it was the best tourism season since 2006 but the self-catering market did not do as well.
Of their hopes for 2014, a survey by the tourist board found that two thirds were 'looking forward confidently'.
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