The Lake District is being promoted to brand new travel markets in some of the world’s biggest cities by Cumbrian tourist attraction Windermere Lake Cruises.
The firm has been meeting hundreds of travel operators in Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok to develop new business links.
The company is also promoting the Lake District as a destination for quality accommodation and key visitor attractions during the trade mission.
Jennifer Cormack, sales and marketing director from Windermere Lake Cruises is in Jakarta with representatives from travel operators.
She said: “The most exciting thing about this visit is we are developing completely new business.
“The cities and countries involved have been highlighted as areas where there is a big market for travel experiences but traditionally people there don’t head to the English Lake District – we are looking to change that.”
Jennifer is part of a delegation from key English and Irish attractions which include the City of Cork, Historic Royal Palaces and Manchester City Football Stadium. It’s part of a UK and Ireland Destination Workshop Roadshow organised by the global travel operator Miki Travel.
Jennifer added: “The reaction we are getting from travel agents in the cities has been incredible. Many of their itineraries have traditionally just taken overseas visitors to London and Edinburgh.
“Now they are adding the Lake District to those itineraries along with visits to quintessentially English attractions like Windermere Lake Cruises and the Lakeland Motor Museum.
“It’s my job to promote Windermere Lake Cruises and our sister attraction the Lakeland Motor Museum to fresh visitor markets but I’m also looking at highlighting the wider destination as it’s all part of a unique package the Lake District offers.”
Tour operators are also hearing about venues including The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction and The Lakeside and Haverthwaite Steam Railway.
The trade mission is promoting accommodation providers including Lakeside Hotel, Langdale Chase, Lake District Country Hotels and Lake District tour operator the Mountain Goat.
The number of international visitors to the Lake District is starting to pick up after the disruption of the global pandemic – but they have yet to fully recover.
Windermere Lake Cruises is aiming to increase international visits with a programme of trade missions.
Last year the firm visited India, China, USA and parts of Europe.,
“The global pandemic drastically reduced the number of overseas travellers coming to Cumbria and while there has been a steady increase in international travel since then – we need to build on that momentum,” said Jennifer.
The importance to the visitor economy of international visitors is illustrated by research from Cumbria Tourism which shows international visitors usually spend 55% more per person per day than domestic visitors.
