Help for tourism businesses embracing sustainability and accessibility

By Tim Aldred

08 Mar 2024

Marketing Lancashire LUMS

A collaboration between a leading university and the county's tourism board has helped businesses from across Lancashire to embrace sustainability and accessibility.

An event featuring experts from Lancaster University Management School was organised with Marketing Lancashire, the LVEP (Local Visitor Economy Partnership) for Lancashire. The businesses who attended are part of Marketing Lancashire’s Visit Lancashire Partnership.

They enjoyed an afternoon of sessions delivered by LUMS, Sustainability and Accessibility partners of the Lancashire Tourism Awards.

Two sessions addressed issues of increasing importance for all businesses across the tourism sector.

Prof Jan Bebbington, director of the Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business, discussed the difficulties of tackling ‘wicked’ sustainability problems: those with no easy and obvious solution. The Pentland Centre has sponsored the Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award at the Lancashire Tourism Awards for the last two years.

“All businesses are facing sustainability challenges that are not simple to resolve,” said Professor Bebbington. “These issues tie into wider problems such as struggles with worker recruitment, rural challenges, and economic inequalities; all while companies work within financial constraints and try to make a profit.

“Even making sense of the problems we face is difficult, and it was insightful to hear from leisure and tourism businesses who are encountering these issues in their day-to-day operations, and who are looking to make strides in the sustainability sphere. They all recognise the need to take action – which is an essential first step.

“Hopefully some of the potential pathways to solutions that we presented will help them plot a way forward – by imagining what a future normal will look like, recognising what external assistance they need, and realising that solutions do not have to be perfect.”

Dr Leighanne Higgins, senior lecturer in marketing, presented the work on the Marketplace & I project. Dr Higgins worked with people with a disability – both individuals and groups – and their families to create artworks that depict their experiences of commercial interactions. Those artworks are used as training tools to help guide businesses in their own accessibility efforts.

Attendees saw some of the artworks created for the project and heard the stories behind them, as well as learning about how other business have adapted their practices and benefited from the Marketplace & I.

“The artworks showcase the ability behind the disability and showcase the individuals and their experiences,” said Dr Higgins. “By considering the wide range of disabilities across the population, and access that embraces the emotional and sensorial as well as the physical, there are many changes that businesses can make.

“Changes don’t have to be physical or expensive. By embracing innovation, and by thinking about how they communicate with customers and train staff, companies can make a real difference to their accessibility.

“We have already worked with Marketing Lancashire’s partners, and they have all been very receptive to our training and suggestions for potential short, medium and long-term changes. It was wonderful to connect with more companies, and I’m looking forward to working with then in future.”

Maria Moriarty Eames, head of partnerships for Marketing Lancashire, said: “The partnership with Lancaster University Management School on sustainability and accessibility is invaluable in supporting the work Marketing Lancashire is doing as the county’s LVEP. The county-wide Tourism Growth Plan focuses on increasing the economic impact of Lancashire’s visitor economy and the delivery of an additional £1bn by 2027 with sustainable, accessible and inclusive tourism playing a pivotal role in its success. 

“We all have a responsibility to play a collaborative and mutually beneficial part in making positive changes to achieve this.  The expertise and resources available from Lancaster University Management School to help guide our partners on this journey are engaging and practical and I would encourage all of our partners to make use of them.”

Enjoyed this? Read more from Tim Aldred

Latest news

1

University of Lancashire climbs 14 places in student positivity survey Happy students at ULAN

University of Lancashire climbs 14 places in student positivity survey

10 Jul 2025

2

Forbes Solicitors achieves strong growth and promotes 15 Forbes Solicitors promotions

Forbes Solicitors achieves strong growth and promotes 15

10 Jul 2025

3

Communications company raises investment will fuel global expansion Laurence Tan (Investment Associate, Praetura Ventures); Charlie Morris (Director, Corporate Finance (Mergers & Acquisitions); Ian Rose (Chairman, Audiebant); Josh Dean (CEO, Audiebant); Peter Carway (Investment Director, Praetura Ventures)

Communications company raises investment will fuel global expansion

10 Jul 2025

4

Lancaster Spirits Company announces partnership with leading whisky maker Joan Casals, Max McFarlane and Chris Pateman

Lancaster Spirits Company announces partnership with leading whisky maker

09 Jul 2025

5

Viridium appointed to support Indurent with major warehouse decarbonisation project Rebecca Latham, Gemma Cornwall and Ross Cornwall

Viridium appointed to support Indurent with major warehouse decarbonisation project

09 Jul 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV123 July/August Launch Event
Lancashire Business View magazine launch
Networking
16 Jul 2025

LBV123 July/August Launch Event

Burnley College University Courses Building, Burnley, BB12 0AN

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Shaping Preston's future by remembering its past
1750160034867.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
16 Jul 2025 - 16 Jul 2025

Shaping Preston's future by remembering its past

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 20:30

Chamber Summer BBQ
LBV Hub Social
17 Jul 2025 - 17 Jul 2025

Chamber Summer BBQ

The Borough, Dalton Square, Lancaster, LA1 1PP

17:30 - 20:00

Preston Tech Connection: Web3 is Dead. Or is It?
July Longer Banner.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
29 Jul 2025 - 29 Jul 2025

Preston Tech Connection: Web3 is Dead. Or is It?

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 19:30

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: July
Longer July Banner.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
31 Jul 2025 - 31 Jul 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: July

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Cumbria Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880461633-4862066883-1-original.20241022-110415.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
19 Sep 2025 - 19 Sep 2025

Cumbria Business Expo 2025

Carlisle Racecourse, Carlisle, CA2 4TS

09:00 - 15:00

North West Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880456273-4862066883-1-original.20241022-105445.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
24 Oct 2025 - 24 Oct 2025

North West Business Expo 2025

Bolton Stadium Hotel, Bolton, BL6 6SF

09:00 - 15:00

Lancashire Business Day 2025
241122lbvlancashiredaylhp0647web
Networking
27 Nov 2025

Lancashire Business Day 2025

Burnley FC , Burnley, BB10 4BX

12:00 - 17:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV122 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin