A Destination Management Plan (DMP) for Cumbria
A strategic approach to destination management brings benefits for all and Cumbria Tourism has been working with a range of public and private sector organisations to help shape a five-year Destination Management Plan (DMP) for the county.
As one of VisitEngland’s official ‘Local Visitor Economy Partnerships’, Cumbria Tourism was tasked with leading the development of the new county-wide plan – working closely with a wide range of stakeholders including businesses, local government, Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, communities, transport providers, public sector organisations and more.
The DMP includes a range of collective objectives and priorities – alongside a comprehensive action plan – to manage Cumbria’s visitor economy and support the county’s future growth as a great place to live, work, visit and study.
Vision – Famed for our world-class landscapes and culture.
By 2040 Cumbria will be Britain’s most vibrant and sustainable rural destination, boasting a reputation for quality, welcome, and an adventure for everyone – bringing benefits for our visitors, economy, nature and communities.
The key objectives of Cumbria’s Destination Management Plan are to:
- Drive economic growth: Increasing the value and productivity of our visitor economy.
- Responsible and Sustainable: Supporting tourism that benefits our environment and vibrant communities.
- Inclusive and Accessible: Ensuring everyone can enjoy our destination.
- Resourced to deliver: Ensuring Cumbria has the infrastructure and support to deliver.
Many of the actions highlighted are already underway and resourced from existing budgets and plans. However, some important activities are not and the DMP will help lever external resources from outside Cumbria to make these a reality.
Cumbria’s Destination Management Plan is a critically important strategic document for our visitor economy. It doesn’t ‘belong’ to Cumbria Tourism; it is a collective, county-wide plan detailing shared priorities and resources to manage our world-class destination between now and the end of the decade.
Together we have shaped an ambitious – but achievable – plan with defined roles and actions for organisations, businesses and individuals. This will help add real value and lay the foundations for Cumbria’s future growth and success as a great place to live, work and visit.
