Plea for county tourists to 'Love it Like it's Yours'
03 Jul 2024 ARCHIVED (over 3 months old) - view latest news
A responsible tourism campaign is back for a fourth year to welcome summer visitors to picturesque Northumberland - while reminding them to Love it Like it’s Yours.
The campaign focuses on crucial issues such as the Holy Island causeway tide crossing times, water safety, motorhome parking and the potential for wildfires.
Love It Like It’s Yours aims to ensure that visitors have a safe and enjoyable experience while minimising the impact on the environment along with clean-up costs.
The initiative is based on the countryside code, which provides comprehensive guidelines for enjoying and preserving the natural environment, avoiding dangerous situations and leaving places as they were found.
From understanding where it is permitted to park motorhomes overnight and tide times to the dangers of cold-water shock and avoiding wild-fires, the campaign educates tourists on the do's and don'ts of visiting one of the UK's most rural and beautiful counties.
Paul Jones, Director of Environment and Transport Local Services, said: “The Love it Like it’s Yours campaign has been very successful in the past and is a vital method of passing on safety messages to tourists – basically we are asking folk to leave places as they found them - as they would expect visitors to their own homes to do.
“Each year tourists are trapped on the causeway when the tide comes in putting themselves, and the people who have to rescue them, in danger. This is so easily avoided just by checking the tide times.
“When the ground is dry fires are so easily started by leaving barbecues, bottles or glass. We’d urge everyone to avoid barbecues and to take their litter home.
“Cold-water shock is a real danger especially to young people who think entering the water is a good way to cool down but don’t understand the perils. The last thing we want is for people to be injured, or worse.
“We use real local people in the campaign to add a personal touch that enhances the authenticity of the message and helps build a connection between visitors and the community.
“We also have a toolkit for local businesses to help them support the objective of promoting responsibility, thoughtfulness and care among their customers.
“Love It Like It’s Yours encourages sustainable tourism and helps visitors appreciate and protect the county’s unique landscapes, to ensure that Northumberland remains an unspoiled and preferred destination for generations to come.”
*Hosted on the Visit Northumberland website https://www.visitnorthumberland.com, the campaign offers a wealth of friendly guidance to help visitors make the most of their trip.