Destinations such as Lancashire must ensure growth is sustainable environmentally, economically, and socially.


The challenge isn’t just attracting visitors, but doing so in a way that supports local communities, and delivers year-round value rather than the traditional seasonal peaks.


Lancashire is well placed to grow experiential tourism. Our food and drink, heritage, culture and outdoor experiences are authentic and rooted in place.


Vikki Harris, marketing and partnerships director of Marketing Lancashire


The biggest challenge the visitor economy sector faces is balancing growth with resilience. Rising operating costs, skills shortages and pressure on margins are very real and being felt by every hospitality business, while visitor expectations continue to rise.


products such as personal workspace solutions and making them easier to acquire.


Our Lucidity product is being overhauled to make it simpler for integrators to purchase and install themselves, without need for specialist installation assistance. This will make our video wall and monitoring platform a perfect off the shelf solution, meeting the demands of the modern corporate control room environment.


There are great opportunities for businesses in the county to take a bigger share of existing markets by taking a customer-based approach, working together and utilising the local talent at their disposal.


As well as our direct employees we have external partners such as our PR, marketing and website specialists, health and safety and quality assurance consultants and our external IT and cyber security support, all based locally in Lancashire, where there is an incredible base of talent and support services.


In the next 12 months, I hope stability will come to the component market and the fluctuation in prices will cease. Trade deals with countries such as the USA will help exporting and give us more opportunity for future expansion.


Andrew Graham, managing director of east Lancashire based wallpaper and interior design firm Graham & Brown


The last two Budgets have put up expenses for families and costs for business, so we need to work even harder to put the customer at the heart of our business and get them excited to decorate their homes.


There’s also strong potential in short breaks and shoulder-season travel, particularly as visitors look closer to home for meaningful, good-value experiences.


The growing interest in wellbeing, nature- based tourism and slow travel aligns perfectly with Lancashire’s countryside, coastline and characterful towns.


From an international perspective, it’s an exciting time for Lancashire as the Eden Project is coming to fruition, so we’ll be


briefing international travel trade on this exciting development in the coming year with a view to them adding it into their itineraries from 2028 onwards.


I’m an eternal optimist, but cautiously so. Recent figures show that Lancashire is already attracting more day visitors than it did before the pandemic, so we need to give visitors a reason to keep coming back and to stay longer to build back our overnight numbers.


Lancashire has a compelling story to tell, and we’re seeing businesses adapt with creativity and confidence to diversify and attract customers.


If we continue to work collectively to market Lancashire as a place of quality, warmth, and authenticity, the visitor economy can remain a driver of local prosperity.


I’d love Lancashire to gain wider recognition nationally and internationally as a must-visit destination and not as a hidden gem, but as a confident, distinctive place.


A couple of interest rate cuts in the New Year would help people feel a little better off and encourage them to spend on their homes.


From my involvement at Blackburn and Darwen Youth Zone, I have regular contact with our patrons and although they are finding absorbing wage and cost increases difficult, it never ceases to amaze me how resilient, ambitious and entrepreneurial they are.


Through our patron network we try to create an environment in which we can all inspire and learn from each other, by sharing success and stories.


I am sure 2026 will bring lots of local success stories and thriving businesses, Lancastrians are not afraid of hard work... it’s in their DNA!


In the next 12 months, welcome news would be interest rate cuts, less of the silly speculation running up to Budgets, continued investment in infrastructure, particularly in the rail network in the north, and that people remember how much fun they can have decorating and the positive impact it has on you, your family and friends when you put time into creating a loving home.


▸ Feature in the next issue of Lancashire


Business View Opportunities to raise your profile with 50,000 readers include:


▸ Business Essentials: Pensions and Retirement


For financial advisers, accountants, legal advisers and business owners.


▸ Business Growth: Landlords and Tenants


For landlords, agents, legal advisers, insurers and property professionals.


PLANNED FEATURES ▸ Your 2026 campaign starts here


Editorial, sponsored, advertising and digital opportunities available. Scan below to view the Lancashire Business View 2026 Planned Features. Next issue opportunities – please see inside back cover.


▸


Explore the opportunities and book your 2026 campaign Call Joanne Hindley on 07442 949697 or email joanne@lancashirebusinessview.co.uk


LANCASHIREBUSINES SV IEW.CO.UK exposure Online


8,000 Email


subscribers 30,000


Page views per month on


the website


37,500 Social media followers


For advertising opportunities please contact Joanne Hindley on 07442 949697 or email joanne@lancashirebusinessview.co.uk


25


THE YEAR AHEAD


JANUAR Y/ FEBR UAR Y 2026


ISSUE 126 | £7.50


2026


PLANNED FEATURES


YOUR 2026 CAMPAIGN STARTS HERE IN THIS ISSUE


GAME OF TWO HALVES Football’s financial challenges


AN INTELLIGENCE TEST Joining the AI and digital revolution


SENSE OF A VENTURE Doing the Deal special report


THE CASE FOR GROWTH BUILT ENVIRONMENT SUMMIT


Pages 33-39


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76