Cumbria Tourism

[kendalcottages]

I know this has been discussed before, but I'd just like to re-visit the subject:

Is CT membership worth it?

I'm loathed to do it - and I don't think I need to go with them in the long term - but as a start up I need to get the word out as much as possible (without spending like crazy, of course).

By virtue of who they are, they are the ones that get mentioned in every article going, and the ones that get an advantage when it comes to website prominence simply because they are 'the authority' for all things related to Cumbria (or should that be 'Lake District' *cough*) tourism...

If you were in my shoes (first year of business, so only minimal exposure so far, no repeats yet, etc.), would you 'go for it'...?

Windy... Greenbarn... Christine...?

Thanks for any advice.

[greenbarn]

I suspect you already know my views on CT

However, Kendal may well be in their focus area - it's possible CT have heard of it, as they're actually based there - so don't dismiss them just because they're blinkered; if you're within the blinkers, they could be useful to you. I've never bothered with a listing on their website, but for you it's got to be worth a few minutes searching it specifically for Kendal properties, and to see how well Kendal is featured. Asked to name a large town in the Lake District, most people would probably come up with Kendal even it isn't actually in the NP, and it is a town that is well worth a visit. (If it wasn't for the one-way system..........)

[kendalcottages]

Thanks, Greenbarn... I wouldn't be too sure if they'll have heard of it. Afterall, they're in Staveley which inside the NP.

Just tried dabbling with their site... a search for a week's self-catering in Kendal from 9th April didn't return anything. Tried the same search from the 16th and it returned one result (in Windermere).

Maybe there's an opening there for me, if the site is getting plenty of visitors (which it ought to be).

[Windy]

Paul - I think they are more valuable to us (in Cumbria) than VB (who appear to be pretty useless and mainy a way of spending the money that the Government wants to be seen spending on tourism.)

The Go Lakes site is actually quite good, but their listing area seems to be geared more towards people who want to use the CT DMS as a means of having bookings taken for them than as a conduit towards our own website. That didn't really appeal to me so I never bothered joining it.

Apart from that CT do send you a shiny magazine and some usefulish info pushed at you occasionally I think.

There are worse ways to spend a hundred squid, and you really should contemplate entering the CT Self Catering Property of the Year next year (in competition with Greenbarn). To do that you really have to be a member.

[kendalcottages]

Thanks, Windy... I guess I need to look at what they're offering a little more closely. I'll have a wade through the paperwork today.

Quick question... if you advertise on their website, do they take the bookings rather than you? Presumably if that's the case, it's at their T&C, and not your own...

[Windy]

Not sure about that - I never got that far...

[kendalcottages]

Thanks anyway - I guess I'm just going to have to read up.