Morecambe Bay has some of the country’s best nature spectacles and most beautiful natural places to visit. Our 2012 visitor survey found that 90% of visitors would be interested in visiting places these places. However, only 55% of visitors had actually visited or planned to visit a nature attraction, and 85% of visitors said they would like to explore the area using self guided walking and cycling itineraries.
To support businesses interested in helping visitors to experience Morecambe Bay's great nature offer, the Morecambe Bay Nature Tourism Business Network was set up in Spring 2013. From a small fledgling network of 45 businesses it is now taken full flight with over 100 businesses involved.
The first big task of the network is to develop resources so that businesses can promote Morecambe Bay as a top nature destination. We are working with new partners, Nurture Lakeland, to develop a business toolkit and walking and cycling visitor guides. The research for these is currently underway. Over the last two weeks 60 businesses have joined us at events and brought their photos, memories and experiences highlighting what makes Moremcambe Bay special and unique.
At these events, we worked with Art Gene, and had great fun describing the landscape and nature of the bay, putting our hidden assets on the map, and creating the newspaper headlines of the future. We talked about the amazing journeys that have been made, the sense of freedom the landscape provides, the spectacular views that are ever changing, and the intimate experiences we can have with nature. As one business owner said “Morecambe Bay is the place to be because it’s a place that engages all of the senses”.
Now the hard work starts to pull all the great information into themes to enable people to market and promote the bay and its nature in a coherent and consistent way. The finished toolkit and itineraries will be ready in Spring and businesses will be encouraged to try out the walks to find the spectacles and hidden gems of the bay at our next events.
For more information on this work contact me, jenny.wain@rspb.org.uk
The network is generously supported by:
•RSPB Futurescapes and EU Life Comms •Morecambe Bay Limestones and Wetlands Nature Improvement Area and Defra•Morecambe Bay Partnership’s 700 Days Scheme and Coastal Communities Fund
Jenny