Tourism businesses from across Cumbria are being invited to attend Cumbria Tourism’s Autumn Members’ Meeting: Extending our Season, taking place on Thursday 6 November at The Grange Hotel, Grange-over-Sands.
The event will focus on Cumbria’s ongoing work to deliver its Destination Management Plan (DMP), a shared strategy for growing the county’s £4.6billion visitor economy in a sustainable way. One of the plan’s key priorities is to increase the value of tourism revenue outside the core April-September period, helping businesses to operate more sustainably, retain staff year-round, and strengthen local communities.
The meeting will explore how Cumbria can realise that potential by developing new reasons to visit, enhancing visitor experiences, and building on opportunities for sustainable off-season travel.
The keynote speaker for the event will be Gary Fildes, Executive Director at Grizedale Observatory and one of the UK’s leading outreach astronomers. As founder and former CEO of the world-renowned Kielder Observatory, Gary has spent his career inspiring people through astronomy and developing dark skies tourism as a key driver for sustainable, off-season travel.
Gary has appeared across national media, including the BBC, and continues to lead on major observatory projects in the UK and internationally. His expertise in connecting visitors with the night sky and creating accessible, year-round experiences makes him uniquely placed to explore how Cumbria’s dark skies can inspire visitors, support local businesses, and strengthen the region’s visitor economy during quieter months.
Attendees will also get an exclusive first look at findings from the 2025 Cumbria Visitor Survey, revealing fresh insight into visitor behaviour, motivations, and spending patterns. The research will provide members with valuable evidence to help shape their 2026 marketing plans and business strategies.
The event will also feature Judi Blakeburn, Chief Commercial Officer at Another Place Hotels, who will share how her team maintains high occupancy throughout the year. Judi will join Gary and Mark Holroyd, Chair of Cumbria Tourism and Head of Recreation at Forestry England, for a Q&A panel discussion.
Further updates will be provided on Cumbria Tourism’s winter marketing campaign, with practical advice from the organisation’s marketing and communications team on developing off-season products, reaching new audiences, and building partnerships.
Networking and lunch are included, giving businesses plenty of time to connect and share ideas.
Gill Haigh, Managing Director of Cumbria Tourism, said: “We’re really looking forward to welcoming businesses to The Grange Hotel next week for what promises to be a lively and inspiring event. Extending the visitor season is central to Cumbria’s Destination Management Plan and a key opportunity to grow the value of our visitor economy sustainably.
“There is potential to increase the value of tourism in the off-season by hundreds of millions of pounds, which would make a real difference to businesses, jobs and communities right across the county. Gary Fildes’ expertise and passion for dark skies tourism will bring a fascinating perspective on how Cumbria can continue to grow its appeal beyond the summer months. Combined with the latest insights from our 2025 Visitor Survey, there will be plenty for businesses to take away to support their plans for the year ahead.”
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