Tourism is vital to the Cumbrian economy and brings great benefits. Throughout my career as an accountant, adviser and key supporter of Cumbria and all it has to offer, I have seen the positive impact of tourism, hospitality and leisure on the economic success of our stunning region.
However, the current economic climate and uncertain times means the sector is facing challenges.
Lamont Pridmore is proud to be one of Cumbria Tourism ‘s Strategic Partners and we also support their important bi-annual Business Tourism Tracker survey.
The results from the latest report are very telling. Businesses are operating under significant financial and operational pressure, facing soaring costs and reduced customer confidence
- 77% of tourism businesses are concerned about increased costs in general
- 74% are worried about the impact of a fragile economy on guest spending
- 55% described business performance as either a little or a lot worse than six months ago
- 89% of those surveyed are struggling to recruit the right people
Despite these obstacles, there is some positivity among local businesses with 20% of the businesses surveyed expecting to grow in the next 6 months, while 55% expect to remain the same. It isn’t all doom and gloom, but a little help can go a long way to securing the future of this important sector.
This vital research helps Cumbria Tourism lobby Government for measures which will help manage costs, attract customers and support investment.
One such example, is the industry-wide call to reduce VAT for the sector to 10%, in line with the EU average and ensure the UK is a competitively priced holiday destination.
The latest Cumbria Business Tourism Tracker 2026, is well worth a read. You can access the latest report here.
