Ian Stephens, Managing Director of Cumbria Tourism, outlines what he would like the next Government to do to help the tourism industry in the county

What does the tourism industry in Cumbria want from the next Government?

An excellent briefing paper has been prepared by the Tourism Alliance, the national voice for the tourism industry in the United Kingdom. All interested Parliamentary candidates in Cumbria are recommended to familiarise themselves with the national issues, many of which directly relate to Cumbria and the many thousands of voters who are reliant on visitor spending.

In comparison to many areas, tourism in Cumbria is strong and is doing well in terms of contributing to economic recovery.

It can do better and certainly there is scope for more growth, both in value and volume terms throughout the county. We are not advocating unbridled growth and recognise the need to protect the most sensitive areas from inappropriate development.

Tourism in Cumbria is inextricably linked to farming and the rural economy. These industries need to continue to work together with better support from the new Government.

Having so many small, fragmented and highly dispersed businesses means that we need to collaborate to make an impact in a very crowded market place. Using experienced partnership organisations like Cumbria Tourism is key in this endeavour.

Like all industries, the tourism industry is keen to increase profits and the salaries and wages paid to employees.

Increasing visitor spending will also deliver the urgently-needed tax receipts to pay for public services. Policies that support and help business increase productivity - for example, reducing red tape - are therefore at the core of the tourism needs throughout the county.

It is clear that the private enterprise of tourism businesses is doing its bit, as illustrated by the continued investment in new and refreshed product, collaborative marketing and skills.

A quick add up of accommodation investment alone over the last 15 months shows that well over £40 million has been spent on new and upgraded accommodation.

Tourism businesses also continue to collaborate through Cumbria Tourism to put the county in the national and international media, digitally and in print. The industry needs to continue to market Cumbria as a destination of choice and continue to be able to lever central Government support.

This activity is important as it generates tens of millions of direct and indirect income to the local area every year. In 2013 tourism was worth £2.2 billion to the county and supported 56,000 jobs.

In many parts of the country Local Government is keen to support and champion the tourism industry and for Cumbria to keep up and retain it premier position, Cumbria’s tourism industry needs its local authorities to significantly up their game and provide better support for one of the County’s major industries.

In Cumbria, we also need to be better connected in every sense. Significant transport improvements are slow to materialise as is the promise of super-fast broadband and mobile telephone communications. These are major issues holding back investment in new accommodation and attractions throughout Cumbria.

The growth in global travel and the opportunity to attract more high-spending overseas visitors has been well documented at national and local level, but a raft of legislation - be it Air Passenger Duty, high VAT and unhelpful Visa conditions - all contribute to making the UK and Cumbria a little less attractive than some our major overseas competitors.

Finally, tourism doesn’t function in isolation. In the traditional manufacturing areas of Cumbria it provides opportunities for diversification and investment in leisure and recreation.

In the Lake District, the proposed World Heritage Site is a great opportunity for Cumbria, but the next Government needs to join up as many policy areas as possible to make sure that real and long term benefits are delivered.