WITH ongoing recruitment challenges, rising costs and evolving challenges around sustainable tourism, Cumbria’s tourism operators will have the chance to hear from top industry experts at a special conference being held next month.

The event, called ‘‘Tourism: Rebuilding for the Future’, will take place on Wednesday 23 February at Energus in Workington and is open to all of the county’s tourism and hospitality businesses – from the West Coast and Morecambe Bay to the Lake District, Carlisle, and the Eden Valley and Yorkshire Dales.

Arranged by Allerdale Borough Council with support from Cumbria Tourism, the free event will be hosted by Susanna Boccaccio of Bright Trees Media and will also be made available virtually for anyone who can’t attend in person.

Businesses will hear from expert speakers through a variety of interactive sessions, accompanied by lunch and networking for those attending face-to-face.

Recruitment, skills and retention are hot topics for Cumbria’s visitor economy, as it heads towards the Spring and the build-up to Easter. Glen Franklin from Centre Parcs and Cath Dutton from Cumbria Careers Hub will be discussing recruitment issues in the current jobs market and how to change perceptions of careers in tourism and hospitality.

Activity to showcase the Solway coast as a cycling tourism destination will be covered by Nick Lancaster, from Lancaster & Lancaster.

Meanwhile, exciting new plans for West Cumbria’s new cultural strategy will be under the spotlight in a session with Andrew Palmer from CTConsults.

As well as the talks, there will be a host of interactive workshops for attendees to learn and develop new skills, including a social media workshop with Cumbria Tourism’s communications team.

The other afternoon workshops will focus on two more key issues facing tourism operators: business efficiency and sustainable tourism.

Director of Sales & Marketing at Langdale Hotel & Spa – and Vice Chairman at Cumbria Tourism – Dan Visser will be sharing his experiences and show examples of how businesses can improve overall efficiency.

Finally, sustainability expert Gemma Procter will help guide businesses in becoming more sustainable, showing them clear practical ways they can benefit both their business and the planet.

Allerdale Borough Council’s Leisure and Tourism Portfolio Holder, Councillor Tony Markley says “The last few years have been incredibly difficult for businesses and many have not yet fully recovered.

“However, important lessons continue to be learnt over the course of the pandemic and this conference is an excellent opportunity for businesses across Allerdale and further afield to learn and plan how to make the most of the coming months.

“We have a fantastic line-up of expert speakers eager to share their experience – I’d recommend anyone working in the tourism and hospitality industry to register.”

For businesses who can’t attend in person, the event will also be held virtually so they can take part without having to leave the comfort of their own home.

This event will run from 12pm to 4pm on Wednesday 23 February.

To book your place on ‘‘Tourism: Rebuilding for the Future’, visit: www.cumbriatourism.org/events.