Tourism chiefs are forecasting a sunny outlook for Cumbria this summer.

Last year was a record-breaker and this year is shaping up to be even better, according to one insider.

As the county gears up for another bank holiday weekend, Daniel Holder was on his way to explain the upbeat approach of Cumbria at a meeting in London when he spoke to The Cumberland News.

The owner of The Quiet Site holiday park, at Watermillock, Ullswater, was representing the county at the British Holiday & Home Parks Association.

He said: “I have taken a few soundings in the county and parks are 8-10 per cent up on last year, which was a record year for us.

“Things are reasonably positive. There has been a lot of investment and reinvestment in businesses and the mood is fairly confident.”

That positive outlook is buoyed by the fact that the traditional holiday season has stretched across the calendar in recent years.

Though visitors are booking shorter stays, they are coming more frequently and more often in what used to be ‘out of season’ periods.

“The season is definitely getting longer. Parks would finish at the end of October, but now we’re going until Christmas.

“The breaks people are booking are reducing in lengths, our average stay is just under three nights, but we get repeat bookings and 84% of our business is repeat or recommended by someone.”

The optimism isn’t just based on last year’s sizzling weather which brought 19 million visitors to the county and pumped £2.9bn into the county’s economy.

Major travel firms are reporting serious falls in bookings for foreign trips as a result of fears over Brexit and the weakening of Sterling against foreign currencies.

More British holidaymakers will be looking to take domestic breaks this summer instead of travelling abroad, according to one online specialist.

UK holiday searches and bookings are up by a third on this time last year together with increased UK hotel reservations, according to a study by travel industry digital marketing specialist Sojern.

Holiday giants Thomas Cook shocked the industry when they recently reported losses of £1.5bn for the first half of the year, while budget airline easyJet has revealed that future bookings are down - both blamed concerns over Brexit and economic uncertainty.

Thomas Cook said many holidaymakers had postponed booking until Brexit is finalised.

But the uncertainty is helping the home-grown tourist trade - along with the recent good weather that we’ve had so far this year.

Tourism has been part of Cumbrian life for centuries, but its importance has grown rapidly in recent years.

Between 2012 and 2017, the value of tourism in Cumbria rose from £2.07bn to £2.9bn, an increase of £830m.

Over the same period, jobs in the industry rose by 21% from 31,135 to 37,796.

Managing director of Cumbria Tourism Gill Haigh said: “The fantastic weather we enjoyed over the Easter weekend certainly helped to convince many people to plan a staycation over the Bank Holiday, many of our members reported a healthy four days and visually it was clear to see that visitors were really enjoying their time here right across the county.

“According to our most recent research, for the first quarter of 2019 bookings across all accommodation types in Cumbria are up 4%, hotels in the National Park up by 12% and caravan and camping up by 20% on same time last year.

“However we also know, that rising costs are squeezing profit margins for tourism businesses.

“Of the businesses we’ve spoken to so far 71% believe 2019 performance will be the same or better than 2018, with repeat custom being a positive factor for 72% and the growing trend for staycation cited by 36% as positive factor contributing to business success.

“We are seeing a growth in dog-friendly holidays in particular, followed by outdoor adventure and an increased interest in breaks offering experiences or aiding wellbeing.”

Jon Holdsworth is chairman of the Ullswater Association which represents tourism businesses in and around the Ullswater Valley.

They have been hit hard since Storm Desmond swept away Pooley Bridge and swamped Glenridding.

Businesses on both sides of the lake have since battled back. Work on installing the new bridge is due to start this autumn, once the peak summer season has ended.

Mr Holdsworth said: “Word on the street and around the valley is, that on the whole, business is looking good for 2019. It’s been a positive start to the year, no doubt helped by the increase in staycations and the weather.

“We are all working hard together to promote the fact that the Ullswater valley is open for business - particularly as we head towards the end of the year and work starts in earnest on Pooley ‘new’ Bridge.

“We’re encouraging locals and visitors to come with us on our historic bridge adventure, life goes on as normal, the valley and Pooley Bridge in particular remain categorically ‘open for business’ throughout.”

Peter Frost-Pennington is owner and chairman of Muncaster Castle and director of Pennington Hotels.

He said: “We have a fabulous county and it is lovely to see people enjoying it.

“Attracting people to the west coast of Cumbria is hard work, but when they get here, they see it is fabulous.

“The main thing that affects us is the weather, but people are realising that we have a fabulous county with a range of things to do whatever the weather.

“The wider economic and political situation means people are tending to stay at home more for holidays.

“You don’t have to go abroad to have a great time.”

Keswick tourism manager Vanessa Metcalfe said businesses in the town were confident for the summer: “Last year business boomed and even when the weather broke, it carried on.

“There is normally a break between the autumn colours and Christmas, but it went right through, it was a cracking year.

“There is a combination of feelgood from last year, but also there seems to be a hesitance from people to go abroad.

“There are several factors out there making people a little cautious. No one knows what the pound is going to do or whether we will need visas to go to Spain.

“You don’t need a visa to go to Keswick.”