Member Article

Businesses in Northumberland National Park to benefit from international tourism workshops

Tourism providers in and around Northumberland National Park are being invited to attend a free information workshop to learn about a new international tourism programme to develop ‘The English National Park Experience Collection’.

The programme is a collection of unique experiences which tell the story of our National Parks and the people who look after them to international audiences.

Northumberland National Park worked with other English National Parks to secure support from Visit England’s Discover England Fund. The £1.2m project aims to develop new products and experiences to attract more overseas visitors to explore our National Parks.

Initially the project will be targeting German and Australian visitors but the new products created will also be available to all markets.

Northumberland National Park is hosting two free international tourism workshops for local businesses on 25 and 26 April.

Each session will cover the background and context to the programme, provide some examples of the visitor experiences being developed and the step change required to offer these on a global platform.

There will be information on how ambitious businesses can apply to be a part of the programme and the benefits they will receive.

Mark Holroyd, head of Discover England’s National Parks Programme, said: “There are opportunities for tourism businesses to get involved from activity companies and attractions to accommodation providers.

“A core part of the programme will help businesses to tell the compelling stories of our National Parks to new audiences. You can get involved in either leading or supporting one of the identified experiences. These open workshops are free to attend and we would encourage anyone wanting to find out more to come along.”

The business support element of the programme is being supported by Northumberland Tourism, who will provide expert knowledge and deliver the training to local businesses.

Duncan Wise, visitor development and marketing manager at Northumberland National Park Authority, is keen for local businesses to grasp the opportunity. He said: “Our National Park communities are part of English culture. They offer a range of memorable, once-in-a-lifetime experiences that can only be appreciated from within our National Park landscapes.

“Visit England’s National Park Experience Collection gives us an exciting opportunity to showcase the special qualities of Northumberland and our wider National Park family to a broader international market seeking a high-quality visitor experience.”

The Northumberland National Park business information sessions are on Wednesday 25 April from 2pm to 4pm at The Glendale Centre, Wooler, NE71 6BL and Thursday 26 April from 2pm to 4pm at Northumberland National Park Offices, Eastburn, Hexham, NE46 1BS.

To register for a workshop please contact: Sarah Davidson, telephone: 01670 794522 or email: sarah.davidson@northumberlandtourism.co.uk.

For more information about The English National Park Experience Collection please visit www.nationalparks.gov.uk/experiencecollection or watch the latest from the Programme Team on YouTube at https://youtu.be/60eMKQuxLSI.

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