Cumbria Tourism is teaming up with Avanti West Coast and Network Rail for the launch of a new high-profile marketing campaign, aimed at getting more people back onto train services as they head to – and around - Cumbria during the school summer holidays.
The campaign aims to positively inspire potential visitors about the range of greener travel options on offer across the county and highlight the ease and accessibility of Cumbria to big cities like Birmingham (under 2½ hours), Glasgow (under 1½ hours) and London (3 hours) by rail.
A new online portal at www.visitlakedistrict.com/byra... with itineraries for scenic destinations will help people explore without their cars, showing them how they can make their journeys part of the holiday experience.
Alongside targeted ads on SKY On Demand, there will be digital advertising in key national newspapers and inspirational sponsored content in regional titles across the Midlands, the South East and Scotland. Additional activity will include impactful outdoor ads at selected train stations, with Avanti West Coast and Cumbria Tourism also using their communications channels to spread the message further and faster.
Cumbria Tourism’s Managing Director, Gill Haigh, says, “We want to get people thinking differently about all forms of sustainable travel, so they are inspired to make the journey part of the overall experience, rather than just a way of getting from A to B. Using the train is a great way for us all to soak up Cumbria’s glorious scenery, seeing the world around us in a way we simply can’t experience if we always have our eyes on the road.
“Many people don’t realise just how much there is to see and do as soon as they step off the train here, so we want to dispel misconceptions about travelling by rail and give visitors practical ideas and inspiration to consider new possibilities. Of course, it also gives visitors a practical way to reduce their carbon footprint and do their bit to protect our world-class landscape at the same time.”
Zina Nomicas, General Manager at Avanti West Coast said: “We’re lucky to serve some of the UK’s most beautiful places and are excited to be partnering with Cumbria Tourism to showcase scenic spots in the Lake District that can be reached by train.
“We want to connect people and places and as we welcome customers back to the railway it’s important this is done with the environment in mind. It helps protect stunning regions, like the Lakes, that many of us have longed to visit over the last 15 months. By championing destinations that can be explored utilising clean, green journey options, we hope to inspire visitors to enjoy sustainable adventures this summer and beyond.”
As well as highlighting train services, visitors will be signposted to onward travel options, so they understand that connections are available to bus services and low carbon car hire from train stations, as well as regular scheduled boat services on Windermere, Coniston and Ullswater.
For more information about visiting the Lake District, Cumbria without a car, people can visit www.visitlakedistrict.com/byra....
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Notes to Editors:
For more information, please contact Cumbria Tourism Press Office: pressoffice@cumbriatourism.org / 01539 822222.
Cumbria Tourism is the county’s official Destination Management Organisation and is at the heart of the Cumbria Visitor Economy. It is also the largest membership organisation in Cumbria with 2,500 members. In 2019, almost 48 million people visited Cumbria, contributing £3.13 billion to the local economy, and supporting 65,500 jobs.
- To find out more about the work of Cumbria Tourism, visit www.cumbriatourism.org
- For more information about visiting the Lake District, Cumbria, visit: www.visitlakedistrict.com
Avanti West Coast, operator of intercity rail services on the West Coast Main Line, is a joint venture between FirstGroup and Trenitalia, delivering a cleaner, greener railway that drives the West Coast forward. We’re on a mission to revolutionise train travel, linking together the towns and major cities of the UK to create an iconic railway the country can be proud of. We’ve got big plans including a fleet of new intercity trains, as well as the complete refurbishment of the existing Pendolino train fleet. We will introduce more train services every week with new routes added, and a much-improved onboard service with enhanced free Wi-Fi, plug sockets, 25,000 brand new seats and improved catering. Since 8 December 2019, passengers have benefitted from improved passenger compensation, available for journeys delayed by just 15 minutes.
For the latest news, visit the Avanti West Coast Media Room: https://newsdesk.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/
Press Office: 0845 000 3333
