[F]ollowing this week’s visit by HRH Prince of Wales to officially mark the National Park’s World Heritage inscription, and on the cusp of the busy Easter season, Cumbria Tourism has just released visitor figures that give even more reason for celebration.
Each year as the county’s official Destination Management Organisation, Cumbria Tourism runs a visitor volume survey amongst visitor attractions across the county. The data collected is vital to give the county an indication of how businesses are performing across the region. Information was received from over 70 visitor attractions, telling us about their 6m+ visitors.
Figures just in from the annual visitor attraction survey report a 3.4% increase to Cumbrian attractions during 2017. These figures build on a 7.2% increase in 2015-2016, and 3.3% between 2014-2015.
Gill Haigh, Managing Director of Cumbria Tourism says; “This week’s visit by HRH Prince of Wales not only officially marked our World Heritage inscription but has also given us a fantastic advert for Cumbria at the start of the season ahead. With figures just in from our most recent visitor attraction survey reporting a 3.4% increase to Cumbrian attractions in 2017, it makes us extremely optimistic for the year ahead. We look forward to the Easter holidays and welcoming thousands of visitors to explore our world class county. We are particularly delighted that the survey findings demonstrate just how much visitors are enjoying attractions throughout the county – from Carlisle to Kirkby Stephen, Maryport to Flookborough, as well as the central Lake District.”
Last weekend Cumbria Tourism and partners hosted a visit to the county by the new Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, Michael Ellis MP, which coincided with his announcement of £3.3m from the Northern Cultural Regeneration Fund to enhance visitor experience at cultural attractions across the UK’s newest World Heritage Site. The multi-venue arts investment will help further cement the county’s international and national reputation for high quality attractions, offering visitors even more compelling ways to explore and experience with our world class landscape.
