A MAJOR new marketing mission aimed at making the Lake District Europe's premier national park is due to be launched next month, reports Jennie Dennett.

Putting the area on a par with the famed United States parks of Yellowstone and Yosemite is at the heart of the North West Development Agency's Tourism Vision, which will be unveiled on June 19.

The county's tourism operators were given a taster of the ten-year strategic masterplan at the annual meeting of Cumbria Tourist Board.

CTB chief executive Chris Collier explained the Lake District was identified as "an attack brand" within the tourism vision to be given high-profile marketing alongside Manchester, Liverpool and Chester.

Meanwhile, Hadrian's Wall and Carlisle would get the next level of marketing attention as a "development brand".

She said the vision also covered themed campaigns which would benefit the area including a plan to promote Gardens of the North West', highlighting local delights like Holker Hall. Another strand to plug business tourism would boost conference facilities at Lakes hotels.

"That is the plan for the future and we can't wait to see it happen," said Mrs Collier.

During the meeting at Rheged, board chairman Eric Robson delivered a tub-thumping speech heralding tourism as the only trade capable of sustaining "the unique link between man and landscape" that made the Lake District special.

"That can only survive with tourism because the only reason communities are there is because somehow they can scratch a living. If they are not economically buoyant they will wither and die."

Upland farming was in a bad state, he added, as farmers left unprofitable land while those who stuck it out grew older with no one to take their place.

"Nothing is going to come from Europe to save Lake District agriculture. We (tourist operators) are the only economic engine that can help this place."

Mr Robson - who when not on CTB duties is a broadcaster well known as the presenter of BBC Radio Four's Gardener's Question Time went on to warn tourism operators that despite surviving the foot-and-mouth crisis, tough times were still ahead.

"I feel the challenges we face now are as difficult and as challenging as anything this industry has faced in the past decade."

Challenges he cited included the merger of the English Tourism Council and the British Tourist Authority to create Visit Britain. Many of the same personnel were involved in the new organisation and he feared it would not generate enough radical thinking.

"There is lip service paid to a new marketing role but I don't see evidence of there being significant funds coming from Government to make that a reality," he said.

He added that the board would be pressuring Government to ensure promotion was focused and Cumbria got its fair share.

Moving on to pick up an often-heard theme from the tourist board, he also made a plea for co-ordinated promotion.

"We have to have a united voice in Cumbria. The only way we can make this whole shooting match work is if we lead with the key brand the second best brand in the country The Lake District. The only way we can get people to go to Millom, Workington, Whitehaven and such places is if we spin them off the Lake District.

"We really have to stop wasting our efforts. For local organisations to be going off down blind alleys without any reference to the board and other wider strategies is a waste."

He added that he was not advocating people pack a pager in their pocket so CTB could keep them on message' but it was important everyone was aware that conflicting marketing messages confused consumers.

Fears over terrorism and SARS would encourage more Brits to holiday at home, he assured, but stressed that there was intense competition for their custom.

May 29, 2003 16:30