Positive signs for hospitality and tourism sector in Cumbria
Georgie McRoberts, Commercial Relationship Manager at Cumberland Building Society, shares her thoughts on Cumbria Tourism’s August 2026 Research Update.
The most recent research by Cumbria Tourism provides encouraging signs for hospitality businesses. Summer occupancy strengthened across several types of accommodation, while average daily rates for short-term rentals rose compared with last year.
The picture is mixed, as you would expect in a visitor economy as diverse as Cumbria’s. However, provisional figures show a small increase in overall accommodation occupancy between January and July 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. For me, the value of this research lies in what it can help individual businesses to ask about their own performance and help make improvements.
A stronger summer for accommodation
The main contributor to the small increase across accommodation overall was identified by Cumbria Tourism as an improvement in camping and touring occupancy. Pitch occupancy at touring caravan and camping sites was higher in six of the first seven months than in the corresponding months of 2025. June reached 62.8%, up from 56.8%, while July rose to 64.4%, compared with 62% a year earlier. The report notes that the exceptionally warm summer may have played a part.
Serviced accommodation recorded room occupancy of 77% in July 2026, up from 72.4% a year earlier. May also performed well, reaching 72.9%, ahead of the same month in each of the previous three years.
Self-catering unit occupancy reached 78.4% in July, slightly ahead of both 2025 and 2024. The report also shows that occupancy over the first seven months of 2026 was higher than in the same period last year.
These figures provide grounds for cautious optimism, but it should be assumed that every hospitality business will experience the trends differently. Taking the time to compare your own occupancy, room or unit rates, booking lead times and operating costs with previous periods, will provide you with a much clearer view of what is changing in your own business.
Higher rates, but costs matter too
The report also shows an increase in average daily rates for those staying in Cumbria’s short-term rental properties. In June 2026, the average was £376, compared with £326 in June 2025, a rise of around 15%.
A higher rate is welcome for owners but doesn’t necessarily mean a stronger profit for businesses. Occupancy and operating costs factor into the results. If you’re considering an investment or change, it is advisable to look at your own cash flow and margins, including what happens during quieter months. Taking professional advice at this stage might uncover questions that you hadn’t previously considered.
Turning insight into a plan
The findings give businesses reason for measured confidence, but it’s important not to focus only the positives, and consider the bigger picture. A sample of 40 visitor attractions recorded a 5% fall in visits between January and July compared with 2025. That contrast makes it especially important to understand your guests, their leisure habits, and the pressures affecting the wider market.
When considering a response to the overall findings, for some accommodation providers the next step could be reviewing seasonal pricing or refreshing marketing for quieter periods. Others may see opportunities to work with nearby attractions and food or drink businesses, or to invest in improvements that enhance the guest experience. The right decision must still encompass your own evidence, costs and longer-term plans, and once again professional advice should be taken where appropriate.
A valuable partnership
Throughout the year, I regularly attend Cumbria Tourism’s events which give a me a valuable opportunity to hear directly from hospitality businesses about the opportunities and challenges they are facing. As a Relationship Manager at The Cumberland, I am proud to build long-term relationships with our customers, understand their ambitions and provide personal, informed support as they plan for the future.
For many businesses I meet, the next step for them is making sense of what these trends mean for their own plans. At The Cumberland, we listen first to understand what each customer is trying to achieve. Whether discussing banking arrangements, funding a property purchase or investing in growth, we can help explore options and consider how borrowing fits within wider business objectives.
With more than 30 years' experience supporting hospitality businesses, we understand that every business faces different opportunities and challenges. If these findings have encouraged you to think about your next steps, our Commercial team would be pleased to have a conversation.
Source: Cumbria Tourism Research Update, 20 August 2026. The 2026 accommodation occupancy figures are provisional and reflect averages across participating businesses.