MP presses government to name Cumbria as the UK's tourism 'Attack brand'

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has used the Businesses, Innovation and Skills departmental question time, to push to Government to use the legacy of the London 2012 Olympics to develop a plan to boost foreign tourism across the UK, using Lake District as an 'attack brand'.

Tim called on Ministers to ensure that areas outside of London, particularly areas of outstanding natural beauty such as the Lake District, make up a central focus of campaigns to promote tourism in the UK overseas.

Business Secretary, Vince Cable recently made a visit to the South Lakes to meet with the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership before touring local company NJO Technology Ltd with Tim. In response to question Mr Cable acknowledged the importance of making the most of Britain's most beautiful landscapes like those found in the Lakes. He agreed to work closely with Tim over the coming months to discuss supporting tourism in Cumbria and naming the Lake District as an attack brand.

Commenting after the question session Tim said: "Tourism plays an absolutely vital role in our local economy and it is essential that we use the legacy of the Olympic Games to great effect by ensuring we have a strategy for promoting the Lake District as a tourist destination abroad. Britain has so much to offer foreign tourists, but to get them here in the first place we need to put our best 'products' in the shop window to attract them here in the first place.

"That's why I want the UK to designate Cumbria and the Lakes as an attack brand for an international tourism campaign that will take advantage of our the UK's higher profile following the Olympics. Using the Lakes as an attack brand will boost tourism across Britain and be a huge benefit to our local tourism industry here in Cumbria. I am looking forward to working closely with Vince Cable and other ministers to ensure that we go on the front foot at home and abroad to promote tourism in Cumbria to support our local economy and to share with others our outstanding landscape beauty and cultural heritage."