Making More of an Area's Natural Assets for Tourism:
Natural Tourism in England's Northwest

Lake Grasmere in the Northwest of England. Photo © 2007 Jupiterimages Corporation. Making more of the natural environment and landscape resources of an area for tourism development is a key component of many tourism development strategies. Sometimes there are countries and regions that have not made the most of their natural assets and have developed an image that does not utilise their natural environment and landscape to the full.

TEAM Tourism Consulting has recently been involved in the development of nature based tourism in the Northwest of England - a region often more associated in the public mind with industry and large cities than with its natural environment. A key part of a recent study by TEAM was to map the environmental assets of the region, and make recommendations for marketing opportunities, whilst ensuring sustainability.

What is Nature Based Tourism?

Nature based tourism (natural tourism) is based on, and motivated by, experiencing the natural environment involving either passive enjoyment or active participation. This may include:

'Soft' activities, such as walking, cycling, etc.
Adventure activities, such as rock climbing, water sports, etc.
Wildlife watching, such as bird watching, etc.
Leisure learning, such as photography, painting, skills, and so on.
Conservation breaks, such as with the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV), etc.
Events and festivals, such as Kendal Mountain Film Festival, Forest of Bowland Festival etc.

The Northwest: An Outstanding Natural Environment

Experiencing the natural environment. Photo © 2007 Jupiterimages Corporation. TEAM's audit revealed that the Northwest has an outstanding natural environment, which has a justifiable claim to be the best in England. Many areas are designated for both habitat and landscape conservation, including National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Country Parks, National Nature Reserves, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Ramsar Sites, Heritage Coasts, and so on.

Eleven classifications of natural assets were identified. These include:

Landscape character (with significant natural distinctiveness). High quality environment which attracts visitors and defines positive image.
Key natural habitat sites. Remnants, sometimes small, very important for wildlife and special interest visitors.
Notable species of plants and animals. Including species with wide popular appeal such as the red squirrel.
Inland water (lakes, reservoirs, rivers and canals). Natural attraction of inland water and major angling resources.
Viewpoints with easy access (near car parks). Important popular viewpoints.
Notable mountains and hills. Walking and climbing appeal as well as landscape significance, including England's highest mountain.
Significant woodlands and forests. Important for recreation.
Geological interest / mines. Including prominent rock and geological exposures, such as limestone pavements.
Major landscaped parklands (often with historic houses). Giving historic and recreational importance.
Coastal landforms -dunes, cliffs, estuaries, saltmarshes. Attractive and important for natural processes.
Remoteness and tranquillity. A rare commodity in England.

Some of the highlights of the region are:

29% of the Northwest is National Park or AONB
The Northwest is the only place in England you can see golden eagles
It is one of the few places in England with red squirrels and otters
The largest lakes and highest mountains in England are to be found in the region
The longest stretch of underdeveloped coastline
5 internationally important estuaries for over-wintering birds
23 geological sites of special scientific interest
The largest area of remote and tranquil country in England.

Underutilised Resources

Whilst the Lake District is internationally renowned for its scenery, many of the natural assets of the Northwest of England are not nearly so well known. Examples of nationally important, but little known natural assets in the Northwest are:

The largest area of undeveloped dune coastline in England on the Sefton Coast between Liverpool and Southport
The biologically rich meres and wetlands of Cheshire
The heather moorlands of the Pennines and the Forest of Bowland
The limestone hills and woodlands of the southern fringes of the Lake District
The estuaries of the Mersey, Ribble, Dee, Solway and Morecambe Bay
The best region in England for internationally important raised mires.

The UK's Northwest has rich and diverse natural assets. Photo © 2007 Jupiterimages Corporation. However, despite such a rich and diverse natural assets, it became apparent that there is considerable underutilisation of the majority of natural assets for tourism and so scope for attracting more visitors, with appropriate visitor management. In particular, the private sector provision in tourism and the natural environment is relatively underdeveloped in the Northwest which currently limits the potential for developing the market opportunity.

Opportunities

There is much opportunity to develop this market. Two priority segments with a propensity for natural environment based short breaks were identified - UK 'Cosmopolitans' and 'Traditionals' empty-nesters. Furthermore, there is a major opportunity to use the natural environment more effectively to attract new tourism business to the Northwest challenging perceptions of the declining industrialism of the Northwest outside the region.

To achieve this potential will need investment in product improvements particularly in interpretation. There is also a need to define, 'package' and theme natural environment products and experiences, integrating them with the other elements of a holiday or break (good food, good places to stay, charming villages etc).

Promotion of the natural environment will contribute positively towards inward investment and the food sector in particular. The contribution towards other sectors is less direct and is not likely to be significant. The specific economic benefit of a wide ranging programme of action across a region is difficult to measure, however TEAM's research indicates from £25m to £115m additional spend and between 1,000 and 4,600 additional jobs could result.

Recent Developments

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), has recently launched the website www.naturalnorthwest.co.uk which celebrates the natural assets of the region. The website is organised by type of asset such as:

Inland water
Geological wonders
Coast
Forest and woodlands
Mountain, hills and views, and
Open spaces.

The site can also be searched for a number nature based activities such as walking, climbing, sailing, horse riding, mountain biking, bird watching and so on.

A three year programme to develop natural tourism has been established. Photo © 2007 Jupiterimages Corporation. The NWDA and Natural England (the government conservation agency for England) have also established a three-year programme to develop natural tourism in the region and have employed a project officer to co-ordinate. A key action is to develop some new tourism clusters aimed at developing the private and voluntary sector products based on the natural environment.

Developing nature based tourism in the Northwest of England has much to offer both the rural economy and the overall image of the region as a place to live and to invest in.