Tourism businesses along the Lincolnshire coast can take part in a new programme to help them take advantage of being more environmentally sustainable.
Considerate Group has been commissioned by Lincolnshire County Council and Greater Lincolnshire LEP to deliver a Green Tourism Ambassador Training Programme – working with a selection of businesses to upskill them around green tourism.
Cllr Colin Davie, Executive Councillor for Economy at the county council, said: “Funded through the Coastal Communities project, we’re keen to work with businesses across the coast from the Humber to the Wash, to give them the opportunity to pilot, showcase and lead in this exciting area.
“Eventually we want to see this rolled out across the business community in the whole of Greater Lincolnshire.
“The Green Tourism Toolkit on the visitlincolnshire for business website has had some great feedback already. The toolkit can actually be applied to any business with masterclasses, tutorials and templates.
“The training programme will really bring the toolkit to life and help businesses embed it in their everyday operations.”
Nicky van der Drift, Chair of the Greater Lincolnshire LEP’s Visitor Economy Board, said: “The LEP is pleased to be supporting this pilot programme, which is designed to provide practical help to a selection of coastal businesses in the visitor economy.
“In addition to receiving training on the foundations of sustainability in a tourism business setting, employers will also be able to examine in great detail their impact on energy use over a one-year trial.
“There are already some excellent examples of sustainable tourism businesses in the area who recognise that operating in this way is good not only for keeping costs down, but also for attracting new visitors keen to minimise the impact of their holiday, and we expect the learning from this pilot will encourage more.”
Cllr Philip Jackson, Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “With its internationally important wetlands and rich feeding grounds for wading birds, Cleethorpes plays a vital role in one of the largest mass migrations on the planet.
“Our Cleethorpes masterplan sets out how we want to make the most of the resort’s natural environment and encourage more visitors year-round.
“The Green Tourism Toolkit is a great way for businesses to learn how they operate more sustainably and take the lead in the growing green tourism market.”
Initially, 15 businesses will be selected to take part in a pilot, before the training is rolled out further. The first two training sessions will take place on 15th and 23rd of June, and businesses must be available on these dates.
Coastal tourism businesses interested in taking part in the programme can contact nicola.radford@lincolnshire.gov.uk.
