How to use the Sense of Place toolkit

This toolkit has been produced to help businesses develop their own ‘sense of place'. On the following pages you can find lots of ideas on how to use the special qualities of your locality to promote your business and make it easier for your visitors to connect with the local area.

For ease of use, the toolkit has been split into the following five broad themes:

Within each theme you can find plenty of ideas on how to use ‘sense of place' to benefit your business. But before you start looking into the detail, there are a few general things you can do to start bringing ‘sense of place' into your business.

Get to know the locality better and understand what makes it special/different from neighbouring areas.
Try to view the area from a visitor's point of view. What are they looking for? What makes them remember their visit and come back to find out more?
Encourage customers to give feedback on what they found interesting about the area.
Provide an information pack on the locality. Include features of local interest, local events, stories, characters, quirky facts, etc.
Ensure your staff are also knowledgeable about the area. As part of their training, provide them with a summary of what they need to know about local sites of interest, where to find local produce and how to get around the area.
Incorporate aspects of the local environment within your business wherever appropriate. For instance, name bedrooms or self-catering units after features in the landscape or local characters, or develop menus that celebrate traditional Cumbrian foods.

Where can I find further information?

There are many sources where you can gather information.

Visit your local Tourist Information Centre which will have a wealth of leaflets and books on the local area. For information on the Lake District National Park, the best place to go is Brockhole Visitor Centre. For information on Cumbria's three AONBs (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty), try their respective websites - see list of useful websites.
Browse the GoLakes/Cumbria Tourism website, which has a special section on ‘Sense of Place' relating to every part of Cumbria and where you can download information as Word files.
Check other websites relevant to Cumbria.
Visit your local museums and visitor centres to gain an overview of the history, heritage and culture of different parts of Cumbria.
For more in-depth research, the county libraries and archive centres can provide help with accessing old maps, photos, newspaper cuttings and other written records.

Links with Sustainable Tourism

Sustainable tourism is a concept that seeks to conserve and enhance the natural environment rather than detract from it, and ‘sense of place' plays a considerable role in that regard. By valuing the landscape and the livelihoods that have maintained that landscape, closer links can be forged with local communities. Sourcing local products and services helps local economies, contributes to lower food/craft miles and improves traceability. Recognising the special attributes of an area engenders a sense of pride and a sense of belonging, and visitors who are given the opportunity to relate to their holiday environment often develop a strong affinity for the area and are likely to return in the future. Embracing the ethics of sustainable tourism also gives you environmental credentials that can attract new and repeat business as well as improve your relationship with the local community.

Nurture Lakeland (previously the Tourism and Conservation Partnership) has worked with visitors and tourism-related businesses for many years. Their mission is to: ‘inspire businesses and individuals to contribute to the conservation and enhancement of the Lake District and Cumbria, for current and for future generations'. Since their creation in 1993, the organisation has contributed over £1.5 million for local conservation projects aimed at preserving and enhancing the special qualities of Cumbria and promoting environmentally sustainable tourism practices. Find out how you can contribute toward preserving the local landscape and helping eco-tourism at www.nuturelakeland.org