INTERNATIONAL visitors to Cumbria are more committed to enjoy the county in the most sustainable, environmentally-friendly way possible, according to Cumbria Tourism.

The destination management organisation’s PR team was recently invited to a special event in London to meet with more than 20 international markets to promote everything all four corners of the county has to offer, 365 days a year.

‘PR Connect’ saw one-to-one meetings held between Cumbria Tourism and VisitBritain representatives from all over the world, including Australia, the US, China, India and many European countries including Germany, Spain, France and Italy.

In all, 22 meetings were held on the top floor of the 28 storey Millbank Tower in London, to discuss how to strengthen international tourism links through the use of effective PR by working with writers who are always on the lookout for a great destination to visit.

The annual ‘PR Connect’ event is unique in that it offers destinations like Cumbria the chance to stand directly alongside many more destinations from across the UK, highlighting what’s new and exciting in the coming months – and how those experiences can be enjoyed without having to get around by car.

During the course of the event, Cumbria Tourism found that while visitors from the wide range of countries have differing needs, wants and expectations – and to varying degrees, a series of clear themes emerged which every country had in common; The desire to help protect the environment by getting to, and around Cumbria by using only sustainable methods of transport.

Content & PR Executive Peter Storry, who attended the event, says “People from countries like Australia and Germany for example love adventure, while at the other end of the spectrum, there’s a huge amount of interest from countries like France, in visits to quieter towns and villages by visitors who want to get more off the beaten-track and experience a more relaxed, but genuinely authentic Cumbrian break. What every country had in common though, was the desire to enjoy Cumbria by getting around by using every kind of transport except for the car. A passion for buses, boats, bikes and good old walking seems to be coming back in a big way and we’re really pleased to report that.”

During each meeting, representatives from each country were given information about the best ways of experiencing Cumbria by public transport, which will be passed on to writers from all over the world who want to experience Cumbria without having to reply on a car to achieve it.

The findings tie-in with Cumbria Tourism’s efforts to highlight sustainable travel in the media, including national newspapers, magazines and social media influencers.

Recent coverage includes a visit to the Eden Valley by ‘Wanderlust Chloe’, whose millennial audience is taking more care than ever before to enjoy their chosen destinations in the greenest-possible way.

Cumbria Tourism’s work to encourage journeys by train also continued in recent weeks, after inviting RAIL magazine to travel around the county on every available rail route, staying over in Carlisle for two nights in the process.