Visit Peak District & Derbyshire has won the Gold Award for Marketing Responsible and Sustainable Travel at the Travel Marketing Awards 2024. The area’s official tourism body was recognised for its ‘Car-free Adventures’ campaign during an awards ceremony held at Hilton London Bankside on 4 July 2024.
The awards celebrate brilliance in travel marketing and the Marketing Responsible and Sustainable Travel award recognises ‘organisations that have successfully promoted a more responsible and sustainable way to travel and genuinely made a positive impact on the planet’.
Visit Peak District & Derbyshire’s Car-free Adventures campaign ran throughout 2023 and encouraged visitors to choose greener transport options when travelling to, and getting around, the destination to help reduce congestion and protect local landscapes. Developed in consultation with partners including the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) team at Derbyshire County Council and public transport operators Stagecoach and Northern, the campaign aimed to get more visitors out of their cars and onto public transport by promoting the area’s great bus and rail links.
The campaign showcased new and extended bus services – including Stagecoach’s hop-on, hop-off open-top Peak Sightseer bus – and highlighted public transport as a practical way for visitors to save money and reduce their carbon footprint. The campaign included the development of leaflets promoting days out by bus, downloadable ‘car-free’ itineraries encouraging sustainable travel, and social media content including video reels showcasing greener days out that have so far reached over three million people. There was also a special focus on attractions offering discounts to visitors arriving by public transport and travel schemes including the current £2 bus fare cap (running until 31 December 2024).
Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire said, “We’re delighted to have received this prestigious award which recognises our ongoing commitment to growing and developing the area’s sustainable tourism offer.
“Working with our valued partners, we are committed to reducing car journeys and supporting and promoting a greener way of getting to and around the Peak District and Derbyshire – protecting our precious landscapes and supporting local communities at the same time.
“Sustainable tourism plays a vital in role in growing our visitor economy and ensuring its long-term success, making a real difference to both visitors and residents alike, and we’re thrilled this campaign has not only achieved brilliant results, but also worthy recognition on a national level.”
Visit Peak District & Derbyshire’s Sustainable Tourism Action Plan, produced in partnership with stakeholders including the Peak District National Park Authority and the National Forest, sets out the destination’s ambition to become a world-leading beacon for sustainable tourism.
Click here to discover more about Visit Peak District & Derbyshire.
