The Cumbria Tourism team are full of ideas on the best ways to travel car free. In this episode we speak to Project Officer Amanda Shaw about her work on the Go Car Free campaign and the potential benefits to businesses.

We then put these ideas into action by taking the podcast on the road. Joining Sustainable Tourism Officer Gemma Procter on a bus trip through the Central Lakes, we visit businesses in Hawkshead and Coniston, and discuss the latest updates on the Three Valleys project.

Useful links:

The Go Car Free campaign:

https://www.visitlakedistrict.com/plan-your-visit/travel/carfree

Shuttle bus info:

https://www.visitlakedistrict.com/plan-your-visit/travel/travel-car-free-and-save

The 3 Valleys project:

https://www.cumbriatourism.org/campaigns/sustainable-travel/the-three-valleys/

Sign up for Go Car Free updates:

https://www.visitlakedistrict.com/offers/sign-up-to-newsletter

Smart Travel Planner:

https://www.cumbriatourism.org/campaigns/sustainable-travel/smart-travel-planner/

Tickets with Stagecoach:

https://www.stagecoachbus.com/thelakes

Hawkshead Relish:

https://www.hawksheadrelish.com/

Ruskin Museum:

https://ruskinmuseum.com/

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With billions watching around the globe, the Tour de Franceis set to be the world’s greatest TV advert for our county, when it arrives in Cumbria in July 2027.

In this episode we discuss the scale of the event and how businesses across Cumbria can make the most of this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Our guest is Vikki Harris from Marketing Lancashire – who was closely involved with the Tour de France, and led on the marketing side, when the event visited Yorkshire back in 2014.

Cumbria Tourism has also put together a guide, in partnership with A Digital, packed full of tips on how you can make the most of this exciting opportunity. Read the guide here:

https://www.cumbriatourism.org/resources/tour-de-france/

Vikki also mentions signing up for Tour de France updates which you can do at the bottom of this page:

https://www.letourgb.com/tdfroutes/

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In May Cumbria Tourism hosted its fourth HR Summit, showcasing the collaboration and award winning work that is taking place in Cumbria around skills, careers and recruitment as well as sharing useful updates and great ideas from HR professionals.

We caught up with two of the speakers after the event to capture their expertise for this episode:

- Anna Lovett of Burnetts Solicitors in Carlisle speaks about the changes in employment law that are most likely to impact the tourism and hospitality sector and crucially, what you can do about it now to be prepared.

- Claire McLean, Founder and CEO of Realise HR, shares her tips for better recruitment and retention.

The HR Summit is part of Cumbria Tourism’s Workforce Strategy - set up post Covid and Brexit to address the workforce shortages and skills gaps within the sector.

Find out more here: https://www.cumbriatourism.org/resources/recruitment-skills/

Our strategic partners and supplier members offer a wealth of specialist expertise to support Cumbria Tourism members.

Find offers and discounts from Burnetts Solicitors, Realise HR and many more under the membership tab on our website here: https://www.cumbriatourism.org/membership/member-discounts-offers/

Find out more about Burnetts Solicitors here:

https://www.burnetts.co.uk/

Find out more about Realise HR here:

https://realisehr.co.uk/

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This is the Cumbria Tourism Podcast where we bring you interesting ideas and great stories from every corner of the county.

We believe tourism offers brilliant career opportunities and creates vibrant communities. In this episode we head over to the coast to hear two inspiring stories that really showcase this idea.

Ewan Frost-Pennington describes why he left the corporate world to return home to Muncaster Castle, how their exciting programme of events has really reinvented the typical perception of a stately home, and the importance of supporting a lively community in Ravenglass.

We also hear from Gina Goulding, originally from Seascale, she now runs multiple businesses on the coast including the Beach Road Bakehouse in St Bees. We learn about her journey from engineering to bakery owner as well as her passion for supporting careers in hospitality.

Find out more about Muncaster Castle here: https://www.muncaster.co.uk/

Browse their events here: https://www.muncaster.co.uk/whatson

Find out more about Beach Road Bakehouse here: https://www.beachroadbakehouse.co.uk/

Find out more about Gina's new cafe, Haig Pit Bakehouse, here: https://www.haigpitbakehouse.co.uk/

Find out more about the Cumbria Coastal Route here: https://www.cumbriatourism.org/campaigns/cumbria-coastal-route/

Find out more about our work on workforce development here: https://www.cumbriatourism.org/resources/recruitment-skills/

This is the Cumbria Tourism Podcast where we bring you inspiring stories and great ideas from every corner of the county. Please do get in touch and let us know if there is a subject you would like us to cover. 

Kirkby Lonsdale is a vibrant market town with a unique character. You can learn more at their TIC, run by a dedicated team of volunteers sharing local knowledge and enthusiasm for the area as well as generating plenty of pride and connection within the community. 

This isn’t a tourist information, but a town information, and a valuable resource and hub for both visitors and residents.

In this episode, we meet Town Information Manager Marie Batty and volunteer Jane Crichton to find out exactly how volunteers help create a thriving TIC that preserves local culture, involves the community and inspires visitors.  

Find out more about Kirkby Lonsdale here:

https://www.kirkbylonsdale.co.uk/

This is the Cumbria Tourism Podcast where we bring you interesting and inspiring stories from every corner of the county. Let us know what you think. 

Cumbria Tourism's last Visitor Survey showed that 14% of visitors give to local causes while they are here. This is something we would like to encourage more of, so in this episode, we introduce you to Jonathan from Cedar Manor Hotel and Sarah Swindley from the Lake District Foundation - just two of the many who are already involved in visitor giving.   

We cover the practical ways to engage visitors as well as the positive impact this money can have on local communities and environments. It was also interesting to hear more about the commercial benefits this can bring to businesses in terms of repeat custom and staff retention. 

Find out more about how we are encouraging responsible tourism by visiting our website at www.cumbriatourism.org.

For information on Visiting Giving visit: https://www.cumbriatourism.org/who-we-are/regenerative-tourism/

This also features on our Destination Management Plan: https://www.cumbriatourism.org/resources/destination-management-plan/

Find out more about the Lake District Foundation here: https://www.lakedistrictfoundation.org/

Find out more about Cedar Manor Hotel here: https://www.cedarmanor.co.uk/

This is the Cumbria Tourism Podcast where we bring you interesting and inspiring stories from every corner of the county. Let us know what you think. 

Sustainable transport is a key priority for Cumbria Tourism, shown through work on various projects including the 3 valleys, the car free campaign and worker transport. We have also supported the SITU project in the Ullswater Valley and in this episode we meet two of its volunteers, Michael Firth and Daniel Holder.

We learn all about what can happen when a community really comes together and the benefits this can bring for both residents and visitors. We also cover their personal motivations for getting involved, project successes so far and the vision for the future.

Find out more about how we are supporting responsible tourism by visiting our website: cumbriatourism.org/who-we-are/regenerative-tourism/

These topics also feature in our destination management plan for the county: cumbriatourism.org/resources/destination-management-plan/

Find out more about SITU here: situcumbria.org.uk