Hotel Spa Resort Hosts Future Trends And Innovation Conference

A spa hotel resort in the heart of the Lake District National Park has played host to high-profile summit on innovation in tourism and what the future holds for the hospitality sector.

Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa was the chosen venue for Cumbria Tourism’s Future Trends & Innovation Conference. It brought together a large audience of industry professionals for a packed day of learning, collaboration, and thought-provoking discussions.

Featuring six engaging sessions, the event explored key topics shaping the future of the tourism and hospitality industry, including visitor trends, workforce challenges, sustainable food, travel and innovation in marketing and technology.

With dynamic panel discussions, audience Q&A opportunities, and exclusive insights from industry leaders, there was a strong focus on collaboration and action to overcome current challenges and build resilience across the sector.

Tourism students from Manchester Metropolitan University, Liverpool Hope University, and the University of Cumbria attended a special panel discussion led by English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues managing director Ben Berry. After spending the day learning from industry leaders, they shared their insights on the future of the tourism economy. Ben Berry says:

“This is one of the most exciting conferences we’ve been asked to host here at Low Wood Bay for many years. We were fascinated to hear about the latest creative ideas in tourism, future trends and use of technology to improve visitor experiences in the Lake District."

"Innovation is a cornerstone of our own approach to hospitality as we aim to give our guests more enjoyable stays with us, whether that’s through new technology, modern comforts or the traditional high standards of customer service which reflect the venue’s exceptional natural environment.”

Event host, Andrew Stokes OBE, England Director, Visit England gave his thoughts on the biggest challenges for the sector:

“Tourism and hospitality face challenging times, but our industry’s resilience is a strength. Skills remain a major challenge, and improving the perception of the visitor economy as a great place to work is crucial."

“Rising costs are also impacting SMEs, highlighting the need for constant innovation - embracing change is essential to stay ahead. In Cumbria, we’re fortunate to have a strong foundation, with widespread recognition of the visitor economy’s importance and the goodwill to welcome visitors with open arms."

The conference was sponsored by English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues as a flagship event in Cumbria Tourism’s 50th-anniversary year. It has raised £14,000 for the Cumbria Tourism 50th Anniversary Fund, launched in partnership with Cumbria Community Foundation.

The fund will go towards encouraging and supporting young people to remain in Cumbria, providing them with opportunities to kickstart their training and careers in the tourism and hospitality sectors.

Gill Haigh, Managing Director of Cumbria Tourism comments:

“Our Future Trends & Innovation Conference was an incredible day of learning, discussion, and collaboration, bringing together over 160 people to address the challenges and opportunities ahead for Cumbria’s tourism and hospitality sectors."

“The insights and conversations from the event will also play a crucial role in shaping Cumbria Tourism’s business planning and strategic focus, helping us better support local businesses and enhance the region’s destination appeal in the years to come."

“Thank you to our sponsors, speakers and finally our attendees, with your help I can confirm that the event raised an amazing £14,000 for our 50th Anniversary Fund, which will support young talent and ensure the future strength of our visitor economy.”

English Lakes Hotels is already adopting new technologies and innovation across its hotels in the Lake District and North Lancashire, not least in terms of sustainability and renewable energy. It’s hydropower turbine project at Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa is a prime example, with various solar power and biomass initiatives also being developed.

Around a third of Low Wood Bay’s current electricity needs can be drawn from generating its own power with its on-site hydroelectric turbine.

Using a pipeline from the fellside beck, the automated hydropower system manages flow and output in relation to the available water. It generates around 53-60kW to achieve up to 200MWh of electricity per year.