Floating lecture theatre on Windermere for tourism students

Windermere Lake Cruises’ vessels have been acting as floating lecture rooms to give university students an insight into the future of tourism in the Lake District.

Two groups of students from The Manchester Metropolitan University Business school have taken cruises on Windermere to widen their knowledge of the industry they hope to work in.

They were given talks on how the top attraction has adapted in recent years to face the challenges of a global pandemic and how the tourism sector is working together to ensure a successful, sustainable future.

The students were from Manchester Met’s BA (Hons) International Tourism Management course and the MSc International Tourism and Hospitality Management course.

Jennifer Cormack, Sales and Marketing Director for Windermere Lake Cruises, says: “It was a pleasure to talk to The Manchester Metropolitan University students. As one of the Top Ten most popular paid for tourist attractions in the country, we feel we have an important role in encouraging young people to develop careers in the industry.

“We hope the experience they had on board, and the insights we were able to offer, will encourage them to develop their careers in tourism because it’s so important to Cumbria’s economy.”

Jennifer adds: “We explained how we have adapted over the last three years to deal with challenges and to reinforce our position as one of the country’s leading attractions. We were also able to challenge the myth that working in tourism and hospitality is low paid and offers little chance of progression. People can build very successful, long-term careers in the industry.”

The field trips were part of a project organised by Cumbria Tourism, the county’s Destination Management Organisation, designed to illustrate the many opportunities available to graduates within the county’s tourism and hospitality sector.

Dr Asia Alder, from The Manchester Metropolitan University Business School, says: “Our trips on Windermere were extremely valuable for the students who were keen to learn more about international tourism and hospitality in Cumbria.

“The knowledge and experience of the people behind successful businesses in the sector is something that will be very beneficial to the students.

“We rely on partnerships with the industry to educate and develop the next generation of industry leaders and we are grateful to Cumbria Tourism for its time and effort in facilitating an excellent student experience.”

The students also met with several other attractions and accommodation providers to get a full understanding of how the sector is working together to navigate challenges and develop the industry which provides thousands of jobs in the area.