Lancashire targets young Nordic tourists with £250,000 grant

Marketing Lancashire will target young adults in the Nordic region after securing £250,000 of funding as part of the latest round of investment from the £40m Discover England Fund.

Eleven bids from around the UK successfully pitched for grants of a quarter-of-a-million pounds to boost their tourism trade.

Lancashire's project targets 18-34 year old visitors from the Nordic region, inspiring them to visit the North West and acquire new skills, discover new tastes and undertake self-improvement activities.

Rachel McQueen, chief executive of Marketing Lancashire, said: “We have so many culturally distinct experiences that often surprise visitors once they’re here, and this award will provide just the boost we need to make inroads into a new and exciting market."

Rachel says the area can draw on its good connections with the Nordic countries thanks to regular flights into Manchester International Airport, as well as good connectivity across the region via rail and road networks.

"We believe targeting this market will enable us to open up new, lasting partnerships that could benefit the region for years to come," she added.

"The Nordic market is growing and their spend is high, as is a general interest in experiential holidays, authentic experiences and opportunities to travel and learn. We now have a wonderful opportunity to work with our destination partners and tourism businesses across the North West, to generate new products and visitor itineraries that will welcome more visitors from Norway, Sweden and Denmark and encourage them to discover more than just a holiday.”

This year's round of funding, the third offered by Discover England Fund, includes six new projects and five 'amplification projects' that build on pilots from the first two years.

They include Warrington Council project targeting young adults from Spain and Portugal, a Musical Gateway in Manchester and a science-themed project in Cheshire.

VisitEngland chief executive Sally Balcombe said: “The Discover England Fund continues to bring imaginative projects to life increasing the choice of tourism products available to international visitors, and in markets that research shows they will appeal. “From cultural experiences that allow visitors to acquire new skills to products that get people exploring our UNESCO World Heritage sites, and projects that help groups get acquainted with regional England, activity delivered through the Fund is driving tourism growth throughout the country.”