THOUSANDS of visitors hungry for a taste ofLakeland scenes, heritage and the traditional Bank Holiday buzz, pouredinto the area over the weekend bringing welcome relief to the tourismindustry, writes Tourism Reporter NadiaJefferson-Brown.

Special events of all shapes and sizes tookplace under the sun's generous rays, which attracted day-trippers in theirdroves and ensured scores of accommodation providers enjoyed full housesfor the first time in months.

Following the busy spell,numerous hoteliers, guesthouses and B&B owners, whose trade has beenhard-hit by foot-and-mouth, have expressed optimism - albeit a cautiousoptimism - that business is slowly improving.

Cumbria TouristBoard is now determined to carry the momentum on, and has launched a freshmarketing mission to ensure the area continues to attract visitors,especially over the leaner autumn and winter months.

Around100,000 copies of a new magazine, highlighting Cumbria's best assets, havebeen produced to further promote the area, especially as an irresistiblehaven for short breaks.

"We are hoping we will be able tobuild on the recovery," said CTB's AllanKing.