Adventure Capital
Adventure Capital is a major campaign to promote and develop Cumbria's outdoor activity infrastructure. There are a variety of advertising opportunities via the web, print, e-marketing, exhibitions and the national media. Download Adventure Capital Strategy
The Outdoor Industry Working Group consists of members from both the public and private sectors. This group meets times a year to discuss new ideas and share information about the outdoors sector in Cumbria.
View working group Terms of Reference
Minutes of July meeting
Minutes of October meeting
Proposed 2010 dates for the OIWG meetings are:
- Wednesday 7th September
- Tuesday 14th December
The Vision
To be recognised as Adventure Capital UK by 2012, by working in partnership to develop, promote & sell sustainable world class outdoor experiences to achieve economic prosperity, health and well-being.
The story so far
Adventure Capital - Phase 1
£500 000 from the Northwest Regional Development Agency
01.04.2008 - 31.03.2009
Areas of activity
- A grant fund to support feasibility studies, capital development and outdoor challenge or inspiration events
- Marketing - highlighting the best of the outdoor adventure offer in Cumbria
Feasibility Studies commissioned
- Lune Valley Cycleway
- Cumbria Cycleway
- Ambleside Cycleway
- Kendal Sports Village
- Providing 3 new projects for Adventure Capital 2
Event Support
- Great North Swim
- Kendal Mountain Festival
- Helly Hansen Challenge
- Dirty Weekend
- Ullswater Lakeland Trails
- Year of Adventure
- Keswick Mountain Festival
- Go Fishing
- Windermere 3 Peaks Challenge
- Open 5 Adventure Race
These events levered in £558,000 of additional spend to the county from the event organisers and attracted over 22 000 competitors and spectators who spent £1 663 960 in county.
Capital Development
- Forestry Commission - Family Mountain Bike Trail in Whinlatter Forest
- United Utilities - Thirlmere Circular Cycle Route
- Lake District National Park - Coniston Miles without Stiles Route
- North Pennines AONB - Pack Pony Trails
These projects leveraged in an additional £583 000 of spend as part of the development of these new products.
Outdoors Sector Support
- Industry conference - 26th June 2008 at Newton Rigg with 70 delegates from 50 businesses
- Outdoor Industries Working Group - 4 meeting annually with 15 active members
- Bringing AdCap to
- Cumbria 2012 & NW 2012;
- Countryside Access Partnership;
- Cumbria Cycling Committee;
- Cumbria Sports Partnership
Marketing Activity
- Year of Adventure 08 Guide
- Adventure 09 Guide
- Sunday Times Supplement
- £400 000 of press coverage
- The Outdoors Show
- Activities Week and Easter Activities
- Newsletters
- Adventure mini-site on www.golakes..co.uk
Adventure Capital - Phase 2
The success of AdCap1 gave CT the evidence to apply for further funding of the AdCap project and this also has been achieved with £800k from the European Rural Development Fund - £800,000 match funding needed.
01.04.2009 - 31.03.2012
ERDF - Action Area 3.3 - Promotion and marketing of natural and cultural heritage assets to promote sustainable tourism
2 areas of activity - Marketing and Events
To achieve the following outputs
- Increased UK overnight visits within NW
- Increased UK overnight visits outside NW
- Increased £ economic impact of major events
Based on Economic Impact Evaluations 3 events will be support by this project:
- Great North Swim
- Kendal Mountain Festival
- Keswick Mountain Festival
- Other outdoor events will be supported via marketing and promotional activities.
Marketing activity will focus on the key activities of cycling, climbing and open water swimming, with a campaign including:
- Consumer exhibitions
- PR - National & Specialist press
- Guides
- Advertising
- Digital Marketing
- Joint promotion with partners, activity providers and travel agents
ERDF Information
Regional Marketing, Culture and Heritage project;
The Regional Marketing Culture & Heritage Project is a North-West campaign aimed at increasing visitor spend in the region through the focused promotion of three key themes that demonstrate the best prospects for future growth - namely Adventure Capital [outdoor activity], Industrial Powerhouse [industrial heritage-based] and Gardens of Distinction, [horticultural heritage]. All three thematic campaigns will build upon the success of previous work to achieve significant impact for the regional tourism industry, from both national and international markets.
With a total budget of £4.8m over 3 years, the programme has been funded by the Northwest Development Agency [NWDA] and the European Regional Development Fund [ERDF], as part of the Northwest Operational Programme, 2007-13.
The project is managed by Cumbria Tourism, who are the accountable body on behalf of the delivery Partners. A Project Team involving all three Tourist Boards [Cumbria Tourism, Marketing Manchester & Visit Chester & Cheshire] will ensure the project delivers maximum benefits for their respective areas.
State Aids ~ Important Note for applicants and beneficiaries:
The European Community have specific requirements and levels of public assistance for applicants who supply goods and services in the European single market. These applicants are primarily in the private sector and known as ‘undertakings'. It is impossible to provide a categorical definition of an ‘undertaking' and each organisation will have to assess its own status. However, it can be stated that an undertaking is a wide concept and includes any organisation or individual that carries out an economic activity which has a pan-European market. Tourism may be considered to be such an activity. The following types of organisations will be ‘undertakings' for the purpose of the State Aid rules:
Sole traders;
Partnerships running a business;
Trust/ charities (including not for profit organisations), which involve themselves in a market and Companies running a business.
European Community public funding limits apply for financial assistance to undertakings. It is important to remember that assistance can be given either as a direct grant or as a cost saving or free or discounted service. Support under the Regional Marketing Culture and Heritage project will involve the provision of additional marketing activity, which represents a cost saving to businesses involved in the project. This constitutes state aid as defined under Articles 87 and 88 of the Treaty of Rome and will be granted as ‘de minimis' aid under Commission Regulation EC 1998/2006 [the ‘de minimis' aid regulation].
European Commission rules currently prohibit any undertaking receiving more than €500,000 ‘de minimis' aid over any period of three fiscal years. This means that a private company cannot receive over €500,000 worth of public sector support granted under 'de minimis' from whatever source in any three year rolling period [€200k after 31.12.10]. You will need to declare any other forms of help received from public sources as these may affect your eligibility or the amount of grant you can get.
[Applicants who have exceeded the de minimis limit, or who would do so with a grant from the Regional Marketing Culture and Heritage Project would need to ascertain whether support could still be given, pursuant to clearance by a Block Exemption. However, routine advertising costs are ineligible and therefore further discussion would be required on an individual basis to see whether any aid could be granted].
State Aid Regulations can appear complex, but should not deter you from applying for assistance or engaging in the Regional Marketing Culture & Heritage Project ~ if you have any questions, please contact us for advice.
Contact:
Andrea Runkee
Adventure Capital Project Manager
Cumbria Tourism
Windermere Road
Staveley
LA8 9PL
01539 825014
arunkee@cumbriatourism.org
Adventure Capital - Phase 3
Capital Development
As the Capital development was missing from the funding for AdCap2 Ct are planning a further funding bid to NWDA and are currently working on the strategy for this along with the potential projects for this programme which may include:
Joining up of the cycling offer
- Eden Source to Sea Cycle Way
- Cumbria Cycle Way
- Kendal to Keswick Cycle Way
- Thirlmere Family Cycle Way
- Hadrian's Wall cycle Way
- Lune Valley Cycle Way
- Coast2Coast Mountain Bike Route
- Whinlatter and Grizedale - additional cycle options
Centre of Excellence
- National Centre for the Outdoors
- Windermere Waterside & Hub
- Keswick Adventure Hub
- Kendal Outdoor Sports Village
Fun options
- Canyon Swing
- Bungee Jump
- Via Ferrata
- Zip wire
- Boulder Park
- Monorail
These projects will not be delivered by Cumbria Tourism but by working in partnership with many partners across the county.
Cumbria Tourism is interested in identifying projects from around the county to enhance the Capital Programme of work, please contact Andrea Runkee if you would like more information about the phase 3 of AdCap or any other information.
