Following dad’s footsteps
Last updated 11:21, Tuesday, 08 April 2008
A CUMBRIAN hotelier will follow in his father’s footsteps when he jets off on a trade mission to Japan this week.
Robert Berry, of English Lakes Hotels, is travelling to Far East to help raise the profile of the Lake District among Japanese travellers.
Twelve years ago, Robert’s father Simon Berry, now the chairman and managing director of the group, made the same trip. He flies out this Saturday with a group representing the tourism industry in the Lake District to visit Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka.
Mr Berry Snr said: “Japanese holidaymakers are some of the biggest spending visitors to the Lake District.
“They are big fans of Beatrix Potter and with last year’s release at the cinema and this year’s DVD release in Japan of Miss Potter, starring Renée Zellweger, will help to increase awareness of the Lake District and build even more interest from this important market. English Lakes Hotels has been working with the Japan Forum to encourage more Japanese people to visit the area for 12 years so I’m delighted that Rob is taking part in this important visit.”
Robert and the hotel companies’ group marketing manager, Colin Fox, who has been on three previous missions to the country, will join representatives from The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction, Windermere Lake Cruises, Mountain Goat, Dove Cottage, Muncaster Castle, Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway and the National Trust.
English Lakes Hotels has four hotels in the Lake District –-the Low Wood, Storrs Hall and Wild Boar, near Windermere and Waterhead, neasr Ambleside.
During the summer, visitors from Japan can make up 20 per cent of the guests at the hotels.
