Marketing Lancashire

Marketing Lancashire
Name	Marketing Lancashire
Type	Destination marketing organisation
Founded	2008
Location	Lancashire, England
Area served	Lancashire, North West England
Key people	Paul Blackman
Website	Official site

Marketing Lancashire is the official destination marketing organisation for the county of Lancashire in North West England. It promotes tourism, inward investment, and events across urban centres and rural areas, linking attractions, transport hubs, and cultural institutions. The organisation works with local authorities, private sector stakeholders, and national agencies to position Lancashire alongside regional hubs and international markets.

History

Marketing Lancashire was established amid regional development initiatives following the creation of the Lancashire County Council strategic plans and shifts in funding after UK regional policy reforms. Early work aligned with campaigns run by VisitBritain and VisitEngland and coordinated with development programmes such as the Northern Powerhouse agenda and Local Enterprise Partnerships including the Lancashire LEP. The organisation evolved through interactions with municipal partners like Blackpool Council, Preston City Council, and Burnley Borough Council, and collaborated with cultural institutions including Harris Museum, Towneley Hall and performance venues such as the Blackpool Tower and Grand Theatre, Lancaster. Strategic pivots responded to events like the 2008 financial crisis and public health crises including the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected visitor patterns to sites such as Beacon Fell Country Park, Leighton Hall, and Ribchester Roman Museum.

Organizational Structure and Governance

The board includes representatives from county and district councils—e.g., Lancaster City Council, Fylde Borough Council—and private sector tourism operators including hospitality groups operating near Blackpool Pleasure Beach and accommodation providers serving Forest of Bowland. Governance aligns with nonprofit company structures comparable to national bodies like London & Partners and regional partnerships such as Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce. Operational teams liaise with national agencies like Historic England and transport bodies such as Network Rail and Transport for Greater Manchester where cross-boundary promotion is relevant. Stakeholder engagement includes chambers of commerce such as the Lancashire Chamber of Commerce and cultural consortia associated with institutions like Lancaster University and University of Central Lancashire.

Services and Activities

Services span destination marketing, event promotion, trade shows, research and digital marketing. Activities include visitor information provision for attractions like Blackpool Illuminations, itineraries featuring heritage sites such as Clitheroe Castle and outdoor recreation in Rivington Pike and Morecambe Bay. Business-facing services support conferences at venues including Winter Gardens, Blackpool and industrial heritage tours of sites like the Queen Street Mill Textile Museum. Research outputs monitor tourism trends using data comparable to releases by Office for National Statistics and industry bodies such as the Tourism Alliance. The organisation stages familiarisation trips for travel trade partners from markets targeted by VisitScotland collaborations and international outreach at events similar to World Travel Market.

Marketing Campaigns and Branding

Campaigns have highlighted coastal resorts like Blackpool and cultural offers in Lancaster, rural routes through Forest of Bowland and food tourism linked to producers at Clitheroe Market and events like the Blackburn Festival. Branding efforts reference landmark attractions such as Blackpool Tower and heritage sites including Lancaster Castle and Gawthorpe Hall, and align with wider regional brands like the North West of England. Digital campaigns have used social media platforms and partnerships with media outlets such as the BBC and regional newspapers like the Lancashire Telegraph and Blackpool Gazette. Seasonal campaigns tie to festivals like Blackpool Illuminations and sporting fixtures at Deepdale Stadium and motorsport events at circuits similar to Oulton Park.

Partnerships and Funding

Partnerships include collaborations with local authorities—Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, South Ribble Borough Council—and with sector bodies like Association of Leading Visitor Attractions and trade associations such as British Hospitality Association. Funding sources comprise local authority contributions, project grants linked to EU structural funds prior to Brexit, and programmes administered by bodies like Arts Council England for cultural projects. Enterprise partnerships with universities—Lancaster University, University of Central Lancashire—support research, while business networks including the Federation of Small Businesses facilitate SME engagement. Commercial partnerships involve transport operators such as Northern Trains and hospitality groups operating along the Fylde Coast.

Impact and Performance

Performance metrics track visitor numbers to attractions such as Blackpool Pleasure Beach and economic impact assessments akin to studies by VisitBritain and the Office for National Statistics. Regional indicators include accommodation occupancy across destinations like Morecambe and event attendance at venues like Blackpool Winter Gardens. Collaboration with skills and employment initiatives connects to programmes run by Department for Work and Pensions and local employment schemes in partnership with Lancashire County Council. Independent evaluations sometimes reference benchmarks set by metropolitan DMOs such as Marketing Manchester and national tourism strategies promoted by VisitEngland.

Criticism and Controversies

Criticisms have arisen over allocation of funding between coastal resorts such as Blackpool and inland towns like Burnley and Accrington, with debates echoing wider regional tensions addressed in coverage by outlets like the BBC and the Lancashire Post. Controversies include disputes about effectiveness compared to private marketing firms and calls for greater transparency from stakeholders including parish councils and business groups such as the Confederation of British Industry. Debates intensified during funding shifts after the withdrawal of EU support post-Brexit and during recovery planning after disruptions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting scrutiny from elected representatives on county and district councils.

Category:Organisations based in Lancashire