IoD Cumbria Ambassador profile Dan Visser, Langdale Leisure
Get to know your local ambassador
What is your job?
I am sales and marketing director at Langdale Leisure, which operates the Langdale Estate, a holiday resort employing 245 people and operating 100 self-catering units, two hotels, bar, restaurant, spa, and leisure in the Lake District national park.
I previously worked for Motive Technology and Brook Hotels.
Other roles
I am a non-executive director and vice-chair at Cumbria Tourism and a board trustee at The Lake District Foundation.
What do you do to relax outside work?
Cycling, mainly on mountain bikes, and snowboarding.
How long have you been an IoD member?
Three years.
What part of IoD membership do you value most?
Meeting other members and learning from live events. I also value the use of meeting and workspaces.
What are the top things about your branch area?
The opportunity to meet peers. Flexibility in putting on events.
What are you most looking forward to in the next 12 months?
The next 12 months will be extremely challenging with labour supply the greatest problem in my industry and the cost of materials continuing to impact profits and the ability to invest. Trading profitably and the implementation of investment plans currently in place will be a good result.
The visitor economy is facing a combination of pressures, the like of which we have never seen before. The large-scale return of international visitors is still some way off and the likely downturn in domestic spend will need some careful handling to make sure the destination continues to offer world class experiences.
The challenge of the next 12 months may seem like a negative one but the long-term outlook for the business and the destination is extremely upbeat.
What advice would you give to yourself when you started out in business?
Make the most of every opportunity, collaborate and enjoy the journey
Would you like to raise your profile and get closer to the North West business community? We are looking for members to join our regional committee as IoD ambassadors.
As an ambassador you will be a ‘go to’ person for members and other directors. You will provide thought leadership, support and guidance. Interested? Contact [email protected]
