TOURISM businesses across the county can take advantage of some inspirational ideas from design experts, thanks to an initiative by Cumbria Tourist Board.

The board has sent more than 1,000 DVDs featuring the conclusions of five leading designers brought in by the CTB last year to look at the area's tourism accommodation.

The Better than the Best' project was funded by the North West Development Agency as a first step in raising tourism accommodation standards in the county.

Board chairman Eric Robson, who presents the DVD, said: "We wanted an exciting and inspiring presentation of ideas to help give guidance to tourism businesses and to in particular concentrate on a number of key sectors in accommodation, such as youth hostels, self-catering, bed and breakfast and guest houses, town house hotels and country house hotels."

The Better than the Best initiative was welcomed by Simon Berry, managing director of English Lakes Hotels, whose Waterhead Hotel in Ambleside reopened last year after a major refurbishment transformed it into the area's first contemporary four star town house hotel.

Mr Berry said the DVD contained a lot of useful suggestions for accommodation providers, adding: "None of us can afford to be complacent. We are operating in a very competitive environment. So it's vital that we keep on raising the quality of our product so that it continues to match the growing expectations of visitors."

Designers who took part in the project included Daniel Hopwood, a presenter on the Channel 4 programme, Britain's Best Home.

He said there were many high quality hotel operators in the Lake District but there was room for improvement, adding: "The aim is to ensure that the hotels in this fabulous location continue to inspire and encourage visitors from both the UK and abroad in an increasingly competitive market-place."

Copies of the DVD are available from Cumbria Tourist Board by ringing 015394-44444.