Cumbria Tourism is part of a special trade mission heading to India to ensure it remains firmly on the international tourism map for 2024 and beyond.
Already this autumn, staff from the county’s official Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) have been working closely with a range of key tourism businesses to ensure the Lake District, Cumbria, is considered as a destination of choice by a range of global visitors.
Cumbria Tourism joined a strong Cumbria contingent at World Travel Market earlier this month, providing an opportunity to build relationships with travel trade, answer questions from overseas travel operators and media, and influence travel itineraries for next year.
This week’s Indian trade mission also follows a similar visit to the United States and sees Cumbria Tourism showcasing the county alongside four leading tourism operators in Delhi: Armathwaite Hall Hotel & Spa, Mountain Goat, Windermere Lake Cruises and Wordsworth Trust.
In 2022, the Indian market accounted for £764 million in visitor spend, which was an all-time record high. Destination Britain India offers an opportunity for Cumbrian delegates to meet hand-picked buyers from this lucrative market, as well as attending expert-led seminars, workshops and networking sessions to drive new business.
The activity doesn’t stop there. In the New Year, the Cumbria Tourism team will be heading out to meet potential visitors at Holiday World Dublin. It’s the biggest event of its kind in Ireland and is all about showcasing top holiday destinations to both tour operators and potential visitors.
Cumbria Tourism will be representing the county’s tourism-related businesses, as well as sharing key publications including its 2024 Holiday Guide.
Another key event will be Britain and Ireland Marketplace, also in January.
Cumbria Tourism Marketing Executive, Francine Bult, says, “Taking part in these types of oversea missions and travel trade events is essential not only for talking to visitors directly but also to help convince operators that the Lake District, Cumbria, is a ‘must see’ destination.
“Strengthening relationships with influential contacts both in the UK and overseas is vital for stimulating our tourism industry’s future growth and prosperity.”
“In particular, the Indian trade mission is an exciting opportunity to forge the county’s reputation with key decision-makers with significant influencer over future new routes and itineraries within the UK.
She adds, “It will also complement separate overseas missions to China and Japan, which some of the individual businesses are attending this week too.
“It’s fantastic to see how much activity is happening to profile the destination on the international stage to these key markets – in this month alone – and the collaborative efforts being showcased between businesses which is so vital when building up our valuable international markets.
Meanwhile, the Cumbria Tourism team continues to work with a range of overseas journalists and social media influencers to generate press trips and positive stories in international media.
They also recently took part in a series of virtual sessions with VisitBritain’s PR representatives around the world, showcasing new experiences and new stories for 2024.
Businesses can find out more about Cumbria Tourism’s international marketing activity at: www.cumbriatourism.org/campaigns/international-travel-trade