10.1.13

Case Study - Lake District: Tourism

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Tourism in Glacial Landscapes - Lake District

In 2017, 19.1 million tourists visited the Lake District (a Cumbrian National Park). This high level of popularity has had the following impacts:

Illustrative background for Economic impacts of tourism in the Lake DistrictIllustrative background for Economic impacts of tourism in the Lake District ?? "content

Economic impacts of tourism in the Lake District

  • Tourism is the main source of the Lake District's income.
    • In 2017, tourists spent £1.4bn in the Lake District.
    • In 2017, 19.1 million people visited the Lake District.
    • In 2017, 18,565 were created by tourism in the Lake District.
  • Lots of people are buying holiday homes in towns like Ambleside in the Lake District. The property prices are so high that many locals are being forced away.
  • Windermere Lake Cruises is a business that takes tourists around Lake Windermere.
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Social impacts of tourism

  • Almost 90% of tourists reach the Lake District by car. In peak tourist season (in the summer), traffic in and out of the Lake District is very bad.
  • There is a train line running from London to Oxenholme and from Oxenholme to Windermere, however, the train can be expensive.
  • Most local businesses in Ambleside cater to tourists for food, alcohol (pubs), and hiking equipment.
  • As many as 55% of homes in the Lake District are rental homes (either holiday homes or rented out to tourists). 17.7% of houses in the Lake District are holiday homes up from 16% in 2013.
  • Ambleside is only large enough to have a primary school, but not a secondary school.
  • Gosforth is not large enough to have its own GP's surgery.
Illustrative background for Environmental impacts of tourismIllustrative background for Environmental impacts of tourism ?? "content

Environmental impacts of tourism

  • Tourists often walk off paths, damaging farmland, disturbing sheep and harming grass verges.
  • Catbells and Helvellyn are two popular tourist walks. Paths and routes can be so popular that there is erosion.
  • Lake Windermere is a popular place for water sports and cruises, which creates noise pollution and disturbs local wildlife.

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