In recent years it’s been heartening to see the Lake District experience a period of positive growth in ecotourism, with many organisations taking more than a cursory glance at their energy consumption and carbon footprint.

There has been debate in some quarters as to whether ecotourism can genuinely boost the bottom line for a business, as well as protect the beauty of our green landscapes.

That can be relatively easy to measure in many instances, from reducing utility bills and consumption of goods through to recycling materials for alternative use and so on. Moreover, eco credentials always reflect well on your business and can give you a competitive advantage in several other ways.

At English Lakes, the proof is in the pudding as we have been able to implement green initiatives to protect the environment and make our business more efficient. That, in turn, has allowed us to nurture a strong reputation for ecotourism, which makes our group of hotels a more attractive proposition to would-be guests.

An integral driver in this strategy is to take our team with us on every step of the journey. It can be hugely motivating and rewarding for our staff if they are given ownership of a project which they clearly see reduces costs, protects the environment and proves popular with our guests. Every new employee is encouraged to think about environmental issues and after a time, the desire to contribute to sustainability almost becomes innate.

Recognition of your environmental commitment does the business no harm either. We know that we gain customers’ support when they are aware of our environmental policy and our commitment to initiatives such as the Green Tourism Business Scheme. With the help of their donations, we’ve raised over £150,000 for Nurture Lakeland.

Many other local businesses are now taking a more proactive stance on green issues and the conservation of natural resources.

As well as making continual improvements in the reduction of energy consumption and recycling of materials such as water, paper and waste, they are also encouraging employees to have a duty of care for the environment, its habitats and biodiversity.

It wouldn’t be stretching a point to say that those who visit the Lake District are universally keen to protect the beauty of their surroundings. Genuine eco credentials will make you stand out as a market leader and give your business wider appreciation and momentum. Being shortlisted for the AA’s prestigious Eco Hotel Group of the Year award will help bring our guests back to us time and time again.

The cultural shift in the way many businesses operate can be positively infectious. If you seek to source products with minimal environmental impact, suppliers and contractors tend to follow suit and adopt compatible policies. It’s not long before a pattern and a virtuous, sustainable cycle emerges and grows.

So once you’ve taken care of packaging and recyclables, local procurement and energy efficient equipment, and you’ve appointed a team of employees to promote new green ideas, what’s next?

We remain alert for new opportunities, especially as the latest renewable energy technologies become more accessible and affordable. It could be utilising hydro-electric power generators to source energy on site, water source heat pumps or self-sufficient woodchip boilers, or photovoltaic panels to produce electricity - all systems which minimise CO2 emission and generate green power.

Ecotourism is a real example of how sound social and ethical choices can marry up with commercial interests to achieve common goals, as well as giving us a safer, cleaner environment in which to work, live and visit.

The Lake District continues to be a highly attractive destination. A positive, joined up approach to ecotourism will ensure that we protect the area where we love to work and live.