Cumbria Tourism has selected a new Chair to help lead the organisation and guide Cumbria’s £4.65billion visitor economy through challenging and potentially transformative times.
The county’s official Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) ratified the appointment of Mark Holroyd at today’s meeting of its Executive Board in Staveley.
Mark, who hails from the county, has a strong tourism pedigree. He is currently Head of Recreation and Communications for Forestry England’s North region, which includes the iconic Whinlatter and Grizedale forests. He started his career working in local restaurants, before moving into grassroots tourism development in West Cumbria. He went on to work in sustainable transport and tourism with the New Forest National Park Authority, later leading a programme across England’s National Parks alongside VisitBritain and other destinations nationwide to target overseas markets.
Mark’s wider experience also includes national roles, serving as a Non-Executive Director of National Parks Partnerships Ltd, helping to develop commercial partnerships between private companies and 15 National Park Authorities. He is currently Vice Chair of Morecambe Bay Partnership and a trustee of the Kielder Water & Forest Park Development Trust.
Mark says, “Cumbria Tourism is a nationally respected voice for our county and it’s an honour to be selected as its new Chair, building on the hard work of my predecessor Dan Visser. Our visitor economy is at the heart of life in Cumbria and I believe passionately in its potential to drive sustainable county-wide economic growth, while delivering huge social benefits for our local communities.
“As a county, we’re making good progress on our Destination Management Plan (DMP) which outlines a shared vision for balanced, regenerative growth. However, there is much more to be done together as we continue to tackle complex challenges like housing, transport, recruitment and skills, while driving forward key priorities to increase the value of the tourism economy in the leaner winter months and in the less well-known areas, including our coastal areas, the city of Carlisle and where the Lakes meets the Dales..
“I’m looking forward to working closely with CT’s Managing Director, staff, and our massively experienced Board, to help make the most of their collective expertise and experience to ensure Cumbria Tourism remains forward-thinking, innovative, listening and focused on businesses’ needs in a fast-changing world.”
Meanwhile, Rachel Bell has been re-appointed as Cumbria Tourism’s Vice Chair. She is Head of Marketing and Business Development for Lake District Estates, a large tourism operator which includes Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway and Ullswater ‘Steamers’, alongside non-serviced accommodation, caravan parks, retail, and food and beverage across the county.
Rachel plays an active role in a range of countywide tourism associations including the Ullswater Association, the Western Lake District and Coast group, Bay Tourism and the Lake District Hotels Association, as well as sitting on the Sustainable Transport Key Operator Group and the UNESCO World Heritage Site Interpretation Board.
She says, “As someone who cares deeply about our county’s future, I’m proud to take up a second term supporting our new Chair, Managing Director, Non-Executive Directors and wider staff team to deliver on behalf of Cumbria Tourism’s member businesses.
“These are tough times for the sector and it’s incumbent on us all to work together to overcome some of the challenges but also embrace opportunities such as accessibility, transport, sustainability and inclusivity, all of which are fundamental to delivering responsible, regenerative growth. I am thrilled to continue supporting the organisation – and the wider industry – as we strive to add real value to a world-class visitor economy which helps make Cumbria a fantastic place to live, work, study and visit.”
Also officially taking up their roles today were four new Non-Executive Directors to offer further specialist knowledge and strategic expertise to Cumbria Tourism:
- Hrishikesh Desai, Chef Patron at Farlam Hall
- Chris Gallagher-York, Finance Director at UMBEL Restaurant Group
- Jen Garrick, CEO at Rosehill
- Tom Waterhouse, Managing Director at Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire
Jennifer Cormack (Winander Leisure) and Jamie Allison (Napthens Solicitors) were also reappointed to the Board, following Cumbria Tourism’s AGM last month.
They were joined by four new Observer Board members: Judi Blakeburn (Another Place hotel), Alex Greenwood (S-Cape Travel), Jess Manley (The Yan) and Ben Mayou (Lakeside Hotel & Spa).
The full list of Cumbria Tourism Non-Executive Directors can be seen at: www.cumbriatourism.org/who-we-are/executive-board/