Lancashire features in National Tourism campaign

Lancashire is one of the stars of a national campaign highlighting some of England’s rural gems.

Marketing Lancashire, the Destination Marketing Organisation for Lancashire, has been working with the national tourism agency Visit England, on a four week media campaign to promote short breaks and days out in rural Lancashire.  The campaign commenced with the launch of a new microsite visitengland.com/morecountryside which offers a wide range of ideas on things to do, places to stay and visit, and is linked to everything Lancashire has to offer through visitlancashire.com.

Marketing Lancashire’s three key partners in the campaign are Michelin-star Northcote, winner of Marketing Lancashire’s Small Hotel of the Year 2012/13, the Forest of Bowland, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, renowned the world over for its unspoilt countryside and incredible wildlife, and Ribby Hall Village and Spa Hotel, one of Lancashire’s most popular, rural, family holiday destinations, and now offers quality Spa experiences in their award-winning adult only Spa Hotel.

Each of these key partners features on the microsite and in an editorial feature in a Guardian travel supplement dedicated to English rural retreats, due to appear on Saturday, March 9.  Readers will also have the chance to enter an online competition to win a gourmet break at Northcote.

The site highlights Lancashire rural destinations including Pendle and Wyre, attractions including WWT Martin Mere, Brockholes and many of the county’s animal attractions. It also features the new luxury spa at Stanley House Hotel and The Well-Being Farm near Blackburn, a new destination offering stress-busting activities such as Llama trekking, cookery, craft and well-being courses.

Golf, cycling, outdoor artworks, great places to eat and places to stay, also form part of this new rural Lancashire presence on the Visit England site.

Other elements to the campaign include editorial in the Mail on Sunday and a Discover More in Lancashire feature on the extremely popular Jamie Crick programme on Classic FM.  The combined reach of the campaign is around 36 million people.

Ruth Connor, chief executive of Marketing Lancashire, said: “Lancashire has so much to offer for those people wishing to just escape from the day to day routine and to enjoy a relaxing couple of days seeing and doing something different in one of the most beautiful parts of the country.

"We’re very proud of what Lancashire can provide in terms of a rural escape. The quality, value and diversity of short breaks and holidays in Lancashire is hard to beat. This campaign will enable us to make more people aware of our unspoilt and beautiful countryside, the excellence of our accommodation, the wealth of experiences and genuinely warm welcome awaiting visitors in Lancashire.” The Visit England campaign will run throughout March and will be supported by additional digital activity on visitlancashire.com which will continue until the summer.