Keswick is in the running to win a UK holiday award as the search is launched to find the nation’s top family-friendly location – and you can help it secure victory.
From dozens of nominations, the town has been chosen as a finalist for the best rural destination, along with five rivals; Bakewell in the Peak District, Matlock in Derbyshire, Tenby in Wales, Cheltenham in the Cotswolds and the New Forest in Dorset.
The UK-wide competition – Family Friendly Destinations 2020 – is being run by HomeAway, part of the US-based Expedia Group which deals in family holiday rentals. Online voting is open now until 25th June, with the winner of each category announced on 8th July.
Karen Mullins, HomeAway’s UK & Ireland regional director, said “With the school summer holidays fast approaching, many British families will be shifting their 2020 travel plans from their usual European favourites such as Portugal, Spain and Italy to opt for a UK staycation instead.
“Our Family Friendly Destinations campaign aims to support them when deciding which corner of Britain to explore when it is safe to do so again and to ensure the whole family feels secure on their travels, without lacking the summer essentials of sun, fun and adventure. And who could be better experts for trustworthy recommendations of where to visit in the UK than British families themselves!”
The competition also includes six nominations in each of the seaside and urban categories for the Family Friendly Destinations 2020. Keswick is flying the flag for the Lake District and Cumbria, the only other representatives from the north of England being Scarborough, Liverpool, Manchester and York.
Vanessa Metcalfe, tourism manager for Keswick Tourism Association, said “It comes as no surprise that Keswick has been nominated in HomeAway’s family friendly best rural location category. Keswick is a fantastic place to visit as a family, with so much to do and see, whatever the weather. In fact we have three separate areas on our website covering family friendly walks, family friendly fun and Keswick kids recommend.
“The great news for parents is that not everything costs money and there are plenty of free activities that they can enjoy with their children. Over the years we have had some amazing photos shared on our social media of families making fantastic memories. I am sure that there will be lots of votes for Keswick and we will be eagerly awaiting the results on July 8.”
Current travel restrictions because of coronavirus are preventing huge numbers of British families from going abroad on holiday. The competition is aimed at highlighting the UK’s popular family hotspots to encourage staycations when domestic holiday accommodation safely returns.
The 18 nominees have been selected via an on-line survey in March by more than 500 British holidaying families with children aged 15 or under. The rural category’s requirements included leisure activities for children, nearby attractions for families and a variety of food and drink services.
To vote, go to https://www.homeaway.co.uk/info/family-friendly-destinations-2020/
