CUMBRIA Tourism is among those headed to San Francisco to promote the county. 

Several business owners, including Windermere Boats and L&H Railway, will be taking part in the Destination Britain North America 2023 travel trade event. 

The goal for Cumbria Tourism is to 'cement' the county as a world-class visitor experience, as they look to set a precedent on ensuring year-round tourism.

The trip comes on the back of a fluctuating summer period, with visitor numbers to attractions remaining 'much lower' than pre-Covid levels.

Managing director of Cumbria Tourism Gill Haigh said: “We’re looking forward to working side by side with some top-class Cumbrian businesses at this week's Destination Britain North America event, cementing the county’s reputation as a world-class visitor experience.

"International markets are vital for the Lake District [and] Cumbria and so working collaboratively with national partners including VisitBritain and other Cumbrian businesses, we can effectively build relationships with inbound tour operators, highlighting what Cumbria has to offer as a year-round destination," she said.

Over the summer season, Cumbria Tourism has hosted a range of national and international media outlets as well as influencers to help generate worldwide coverage for the county.

"On one of our most recent visits, we partnered with influencer and presenter Haya Yasmeen from the Middle East, filming a segment for Good Morning Arabia, a show that has an audience of over 40 million viewers.

"In addition to the more traditional media outlets, we also partner with celebrity advocates for the Lake District, including food and television personalities The Hairy Bikers, culinary heavyweight Simon Rogan and MasterChef winner Irini Tzortzoglou.

"As a membership organisation, it’s vital that we work hard on our businesses’ behalf to showcase everything our county has to offer to overseas and domestic visitor markets," she said.